making a difference in the lives of others. i was honored each jewish new year to welcome the senator to the pulpit to have family prayer for the state of israel and then together with his new jersey congregation to read the prayer for our nation's leaders. a privilege each and every year. ..

one of my products days as a rabbi actually in my life was the day he allowed me to open the senate session. what an honor it was to be standing on the senate floor next to my senator, next to my friend. a few weeks ago, frank called and said we need to talk about the inevitable. i told him i hoped the inevitable would be a long way off. he said he did as well. then he said he wanted to make sure he was remembered not only for his love of family and his accomplishments but also as someone who loved his country, a true patriot. and someone who never forgot his roots, someone who dedicated his life to helping those who are most vulnerable in our society. he told me he wanted to be

remembered as a man from humble beginnings who did good end used the opportunities provided to him to do the same for others. i told him i was sure all those attributes and many more would be mentioned frequently when the time came. i then joked about the other things i might say about him. he laughed and said stick to the script, dan. [laughter] >> in addition to everything else, frank lautenberg had a sense of humor, he was a great guy. i stand as senator frank lautenberg's rabbi, a proud native of new jersey, as an american, and as one of the many people who will miss a dear friend, a cherished friend. may his memory before blasting

each and every day. amen. i have the absolute privilege to invite the senator from the state of new jersey, the distinguished senator robert menendez. >> good morning. i am joined today by a tremendous presence of members of the united states senate both passed and present, a testament to their respect for frank as well as members of congress. many of them spent in our weekly caucus the majority leader started off talking about frank

and his many accomplishments and his time in the senate and was joined by the rest of our leadership and it broke out into virtually every member of our caucus wanting to have a remembrance. there were many testaments to senator lautenberg, many recounting of his jokes. i will put aside the humor for today and i will talk on behalf of all of my colleagues as a testament to senator lautenberg and also on behalf of the people of new jersey. over the last two days i described frank lautenberg as one of the most tenacious men i have ever met. and he was very tenacious but in the best sense of the word. it came from his deep and abiding belief in always holding on and always fighting on, tenacity forged in the crucible

of a life that began in humble beginnings in paterson, new jersey. frank lautenberg was a man for his time, one of the greatest generation, the last of the senate to have served in world war ii. his story was -- an american story. in his heart and his for his lifetime he was a man from new jersey, a kid from patterson. his father sam worked in the silk mills, so cold, he worked and ran a tent. frank lost his father to cancer when he was only 19 and he learned the lessons of hard work, having to take on a job nights and weekends until he graduated from high school, when he joined the army and went to europe. his tenacity strengthened as he served his country in world war

ii, with a sharp intellect and wealth of knowledge he gained at columbia university through the g i bill. anyone who knew frank knows that he was destined to make something of himself. and he did. he joined two of his boyhood friends to found a very successful business and did very well. losing his father, working his way through high school, going to war, starting a business, making a success of himself, that just wasn't enough for frank lautenberg. he wanted to give something back, he wanted to serve the people of new jersey. that is why he ran for office, and why they kept electing him five times and it was his tenacity that led him not to hesitate in taking on powerful

interests that were juxtaposed to the people's interest but to always have gone to the people he represented. the chemical industry didn't care for his right to know law but was tenacious in doing what was right for his constituents and the nation. the tobacco industry didn't care for is no smoking on airlines. the nra and the gun lobby didn't care for his fight for gun control measures that he believed passionately could save lives but frank always did what he believed was right. always was on the side of those who needed a voice, a chance to build a better life. and it was of those beliefs that kept him going to. even while ill he didn't hesitate to come back to vote on gun control measures or to move the nomination of the new epa administrator which had been locked up in gridlock because he knew in both of those cases how

important it was and what it could mean to the lives of the everyday working families that he was so privileged to represent him. when they commute to work on a train or take amtrak to visit a relative the people of new jersey know frank lautenberg made it possible. when working-class new jersey goes to the patterson great falls park with blood, sweat and tears of the men and women who powered the industrial revolution, the water wheels along the passaic, every member, frank lautenberg, making patterson great falls a national monument to every working class family in new jersey and across the state. i know to say so many positive things about someone at their memorial might be seen as the usual building, and in this case it is simply the truth. i will remember his life as a

testament to what is possible to achieved in america and i take it as a challenge as should all of us to continue the many causes he championed. those who loved, admired, or respected him, and take him to his arrest today, will hope to see what he stood for, what he fought for will come to pass for all who served. as we remember his life and legacy today, i am reminded of the remarks of mother teresa upon the occasion of receiving the congressional gold medal. she said as she was receiving the highest honor that our nation gives to a civilian, she said it is not all the awards or recognitions that matter in life, but rather how one has lived their life that matters. in that respect, frank

lautenberg lived an extraordinary and exemplary life. i am sure you know we love you dearly. even lady gaga couldn't lift a finger to you. he loved her music. what a beautiful and talented life he had. he was so proud of his children, so proud of the persons they had grown to be, talked about the joy of his grandchildren so many times and our hearts go out to all of you and the entire family. i know how much you listen. on monday i read a quote on the senate floor from the old testament from daniel chapter 12 that i think is appropriate today as well. it says and the wives shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament and those who leave many to justice shall be like the stars forever.

frank lautenberg tenaciously stood for justice and his memory will be like a constellation showing us the way. thank you, frank, for a life well lived and a job well done. on behalf of the grateful state and nation, thank you for your faithful service. goodbye, my friend the. until we meet again. >> thank you for your inspiring and inspired words. we turn now to the family, ellen lautenberg, we call on you, followed by a man --nan lisa and then josh.

>> thank you, that is beautiful. there is no such thing as a perfect parent but there's no such thing as a parent who does not have profound influence on their children. my father was a great at some things and not so great that others. he was not what i would call warm and fuzzy. in fact in mind years, i copied is more negative have its like smoking. he was a smoker at one point. reformed obviously. however, began to self-conscious the gravitate toward is more positive influence. when i graduated college, a shy and unassuming english major he suggested i take an entry-level job at a financial firm to learn more about finance. he of course was in business at the time. after learning of the ropes, moving up the ladder and working

up the farm for ten years, during that time my dad had run to the u.s. senate and won his first term. a huge change in the direction of his life and mine. both he and my mom had always been community minded but a few years after he moved to the senate i found myself leaving finance and entering law school with the intent of pursuing a career in public interest. although i never practice as a lawyer the education exposed me to a new realm of interest. as for getting married and having two children i spent time as a volunteer in my community and got involved in many organizations. a few years ago i received a call from an old friend asking the i could get my dad to speak at a fund-raising event for the children's environmental health center. they were excited about his pending legislation called the

safe chemicals act in. he could not attend and i spoke on his behalf and have been involved ever since. last year he did attend to except the first-ever champion for children award. as i look back i can see how he shaved my path by demonstrating there are always new opportunities to learn and grow, you must seize those opportunities and make the most of them and one can have an impact on their world. this was a small part of his cousins. is balance energy left us all wanting more rest, his speaking at stallion to waiters in a restaurant, his desperate nature and always his sense of humor which carried all of us and him through some tough times. it never ceased even in his last days. if you were here, he would tell a joke about the grandmother being on the roof and some of you might know that joke. i would tell it but wouldn't do

it justice. finally he loved his work in the senate so much that even days ago on a day when he was doing pretty good, he would say i never should have made that retirement speech. [laughter] >> he really did. and i hope i have that kind of optimism and energy when i am 89. thank you for everything you did for us. i love the land will always feel your presence. >> good morning, everyone. i am frank's second daughter n

nan, more fondly named manny work banana. my father and i had much in common but we share a zest for life, the love of competition and energy level that never quits, and an incredible stubbornness and the attitude we are always right and no one else is. one might say our relationship was loving yet volatile. my father's zest for life started when he learned to ski and he installed that love the and all his children. we traveled to vermont every weekend. there was one weekend my father decided to bring our dog and a tie our luggage to the top of the car. two hours into the trip we heard a loud crash. my father pull it to the side of the road and we got out of the car to see the suitcases had ripped off of the top of the roof of the car and our clothes

were strewn along by a raid. after an hour picking up our stuff we got back in the car and continued on our trip. nothing would stop my dad from seeing his kids ski, he was so proud. in addition to be a good athlete he was extremely smart and knowledgeable about all business matters and always tries to prove he knew everything about everything. i was a marketing at the end during my father's brief retirement in the senate. he was so bored that he called me every day to ask me what i had that day. i had a quota from ibm, an arbitrary quota from my dad. he pretended he knew all about every machine that we sold. he had planned that he worked long and hard on an ibm 3,000's a d p.

i always listened but never had the heart to tell him that machine never existed. [laughter] >> i love your spirit, dad. there are so many wonderful stories about my father and we traveled together. my father and a confidence second to none. he had a kindness, sincerity and believe ability. as he traveled to europe with leading dignitaries we would stop and restaurants where my father claimed he spoke seven languages fluently. when it came time to order he would use one word from each language to form a sentence. and he did it with such conviction that no one questions. that was my dad, so confident and determined, he owned the room no matter where he was. he made everyone feel important from the reader to beverly who

took such good care of him. and dignitaries like diane, he is very important to them in keeping israel strong. as i mentioned before we have a loving but volatile relationship. a democrat and a republican, we would argue and debate and never bend to the other's the opinion. we were both very stubborn and beach wanted to be right. i don't believe we ever heard what the other one was saying. nevertheless it was the thing that bonded us together. in the end, the argument always ended with i love you. i didn't realize until now every moment with him was the teaching moment. he taught me so much about life and how not just to be in the present but live to the full list on your own terms. through the toughest times with

his health he made us laugh so we wouldn't cry because during our childhood crying and quitting was not acceptable. i am a tribute to my dad and the song he keeps singing every day, it comes from the movie fiddler on the roof. its meaning, so fitting now, sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset, swiftly fly the years. one season following another, laden with happiness and tears. goodbye, dad. my friend and adversary. i love you, rest in peace and know that your legacy lives on.

>> i am going to try to talk. thank you. my daughter molly is going to say my feelings for me. i will tell you my name is lisa. i was intending to ask all the questions and -- my father thought the question was already for today, he had taken my voice. [laughter]

>> i am lisa. [laughter] >> the third daughter and usually referred to by my father as leelead because i was a girl and not the boy he hoped for. i had to become a sports fanatic and he wasn't going to sit still long enough to be a member of my tea party. so skiing and failing, rangers and giants, he was longing for a change from hanging out with all those women. he was raised by his mother molly and four sisters, ruth, sophie, mariah, marion, all very -- all very influential women in his life who showed him tough love. he got a lot of advice. from patterson -- didn't waste any time. a strong jewish foundation, he became a member of the army, studied adp with his friends,

chairman of you g a, dropping in to the senate with both feet. he didn't have much family time but that made it special. you can imagine being surrounded by women, he had great respect for them and all minorities. and then as the son in laws. [laughter] >> they were worse than any special-interest group. [laughter] >> i remember clearly as my father was about to walk me down the aisle he leaned over and said it is not too late. you can still change your mind. he never forgave my husband for taking me away from the great state of new jersey. my siblings live the way too. he was in new jersey all on his

own and was proud it began in new jersey, representative place that he cared for so deeply. so these statistics, 200 pieces of lautenberg for senate memorabilia in my closet. 3,000 pieces of his opponents's memorabilia that i took down during campaigns in my backyard. to burn about our jewish heritage with my dad, 300 new friends i lost during my freshman year in college when dad raised the drinking age. [laughter] >> he didn't like how the previous one worked. 100 times he got by me. 30 times he said to my answering machine how much he hated answering machines. six hours he would make us feet

without a break, 20 candy bars in his pocket in case we couldn't make it. 1,000 feet he fell down a ski slope that set of with broken glasses and a collarbone and refuse to wait for the ski patrol. four feet of water we were standing in as he told us it would -- the sale but would right itself. 3,000 times he bragged about my skiing their compliments long after i graduated. 100 names his opponents called him, one that sucked, swamped dog. somehow he turned it into a compliment when he won the election. 4,000 times he reminded as he was one of a hundred senators and detailed what he achieved and had the greatest stats you could ever imagine. doing a job he cherished. my dad accomplished everything he wanted at 89 years, brought me and my family to rest of the journey. as for that i am so grateful.

i will love you as if you always really. >> i am josh lautenberg, the son he was waiting for. [laughter] >> after so many years i waited for him forever and everything we went to it would take forever. i realized very clearly that if he hadn't had me on the fourth try my mother lois and my father would have had 12 for 15

children until they had someone. my son sam is named after my grandfather. i never knew my father's father. lisa was not telling me she did a ventriloquist act. if i had known i would have brought my juggling chainsaws or something to entertain everybody. that was a surprise. is true what ellen said. just ten days ago my father was a i regret retirement. i think i will tell them i take the old thing back, it was just a mistake and he was serious about it. he meant it. i was sort of the group of people who always said you should take a break, you're getting older, just enjoy your life. go, go for it. ten days ago i said okay. i will be at your rescinding of your retirement speech any time you want. there was a lot of important people, a real privilege to see you all. i need to point out a group of extremely important people that

were just as important to my father as his own family. my father's staff taking of the entire side of the sanctuary. those were and will continue to be his family as well. i worry about you guys. i worry about where you are going to go next. you are the most dedicated people in his life and i want you to be ok and have somewhere to go where you can feel less satisfied and thrilled and excited about the work you do in the future as you do working with, not for, my father. he relied on every single one of you and most of all the love you because you had his back and he always had yours. so thank you for everything you have done, thank you for making him the man he is and was and for helping the people of new jersey and this nation live better, healthier, happier and more successful lives, thanks to you all. if my father was here he would

really love this, he would stand and say all these people, could get a prime minister of israel or the pope? that is okay. frank lautenberg was obviously a very important man and which can be clearly witnessed here today. he was of course a great senator, one of the finest to ever serve in my and many other people's opinions. he can be and causes many others were afraid to approach, we heard this today. my dad was a fighter as everyone here can attest to the team never backed down from a battle especially when it was in the best interest of the little guy, the citizens seeking to realize the american dream the way he has his whole life. he defended those who could not defend themselves. he was incredibly progress of for some one of his generation, expected everyone to be their fair share including himself. he told me about sitting at a table with over a dozen or so

senators and here in one of miss they none of their sons of all senators in the room would go to the gulf war because they were the sons of united states senators. he stood up in protesting that not only with his son, he didn't really tell me that. [laughter] >> i found out later, saying not only with his son go to war but so would the rest of your sons. .. >> he responded coyly, as he always did with a smile, that if

he wanted to go somewhere to make friends, he would have joined a country club. [laughter] in truth, he enjoyed having enemies. i really think he did. as my sister nan said, he loved to fight. he enjoyed being the loudest in the room, going against the grain, fighting the good fight. after all, he was the scrappy kid from patterson. he made a point to never be beholden to anyone other than the people of new jersey and the nation. he would never be owned by lobbyists, he would never give in to special interests. and no one can say that he didn't enjoy the title of his job. one time years ago he asked me to call for a dinner reservation -- [laughter] the maitre d' told me the restaurant was full. so i had to say, hey, dad, they don't have any seats. upon reporting the news to him, my father said call back and tell them it's for senator lautenberg. i did as he asked, and the maitre d' said i don't care if it's the pope, i don't have any seats.

[laughter] i put the phone down, he said, what did he say? they're just really busy tonight. apparently, the pope is there, and he's taking up a huge table. [laughter] during campaigns my dad loved parades and dancing at cuban-american street festivals. right? [laughter] but he hated fundraising. he would jump out of the car and run into local gatherings of democrats in small towns and to union meetings and to breakfasts but say no thanks, no way to meetings with power brokers. my dad didn't enter politics to be famous, he entered politics to give people a voice in washington. little of what he did was partisan. in fact, most of his work was to protect everyone regardless of political affiliation. he was just in there to help everyone, to look out for every single person. he was a hero to many, especially to me. but beyond the corner office in the hart building and sitting at harry truman's desk in the senate chambers, he had the most

important job anyone could ever have, much more important than being a u.s. senator. sorry. he was a father. he was my dad. my dad, my dad taught me to ski and sail and to love nature. he always talked about the sea and encouraged me to look outside and see the birds, to breathe the clean air. thanks to him. he'd tell me the importance of being curious and always asking questions, something i have learned to teach my own kids. he brought me to colorado because he loved it so much. that's the place i live with my wife and children. sorry, dad, i know you wanted me in new jersey, but you brought me there. thank you. he had the best sense of humor. he was goofy and jubilant and a real smart aleck. [laughter] and another word, but we're at temple. [laughter] when we were kids, he would sing in a german accent while he skied. he'd say you've got to bring your knees when you ski through the trees --

[laughter] this is the skiing song. [laughter] it also involved runny noses and having to go to the bathroom, all these wonderful things, but in a german or austrian accent. my father, his staff will tell you, always moved at 100 miles an hour. it took me years to walk beside him. i couldn't. i was like the little terrier running behind the greyhound. scurries from his staff, skipping the senate train and sprinting from the hart center office building to the capitol while aides half his age dropped papers on the floor trying to keep up with him frantically. he ran every set of stairs. he always answered the phone, hey, josh, hey, lisa, hey, larry, hey, danielle. even in his last days. because he wanted us to know he was fine. i've got this, i'm good. he thrived on being a pest at times. [laughter] he was the worst backseat drivers in the history of backseat drivers.

[laughter] you may not know this, but right next to the train station where we're going later bearing his name is the frank lautenberg personal driver rehabilitation center. [laughter] it wasn't funded by taxpayer dollars. the actual drivers paid for it themselves. [laughter] to have someplace to go to gain their sanity back. i think he went through more drivers than coffee. hey, i was one of his drivers for a while. [laughter] take a right, take a left. why can't we just go straight? it'd be more fun to go this way. he was the luckiest man in the world, he really was. whenever he came to vail, it snowed. his flights were always on time, and the sun came out the second he came to the beach after it'd been raining for hours. he taught my sisters and me to be humble and to respect others regardless of lifestyle, color, religion. he was so progressive for a man of 89 years old. he was so today. he was so proud of his family,

his ancestry, his heritage, his mother, his father, his aunt, his sister. let me tell you, it wasn't easy being the son of frank lautenberg. you've heard this. even before he became senator, he was very tough on his kids. but his toughnesses made me work harder at whatever i was doing. we'd walk the oil-soaked beaches after the valdez oil spill in alaska and then went fly fishing for king salmon. went to africa on safari. we sailed from maine to new york -- sorry, maine and new york to martha's vineyard which is where we almost sank. lisa, thank you. and, of course, he always thought he knew more about something than he did. just ask the dock repairmen. he ordered food at restaurants in italian, and would attempt russian with taxi drivers not really knowing those languages that well. [laughter] but the waiters and the taxi drivers and the people he met, they all appreciated it because

it was so sincere and so real. that was my father. he was my dad through and through. many times i notice that i have his mannerisms. i'm sure some of you probably see it in the way i'm speaking now. i have his humor, his facial expressions. i often catch myself saying something my dad would say or crossing my legs the same way he would, making a joke he would make. it's exactly what my father would say. i am who i am today because of my dad. he is always and always will be a part of me. it's yes metic. i cannot express in words how much i will miss my dad. when i heard from my sister early in the morning that he was gone, i told my wife, christina, that i didn't know where to go from here. i felt really lost, without direction. my dad was always the compass in our family, the leader. he always knew the way. even if it was the longest way. [laughter] at this moment i am still not sure how to deal with him

leaving us. i'm just as upset about losing my father, but i'm just as upset about the people at amtrak. he was their best friend. i worry about the staff. i worry about family, i worry about friends and all the people in this room and where do we go. but if i could talk to him right now about what to do from here, he would simply say to move forward without hesitation, run the stairs, walk fast and grab a hot dog on the way. [laughter] i love you, dad. and i'll miss you. >> josh, thank you so much for your words. spoken with love of your father. we call on the grandchildren, all of them, to step forward to share memories of their grandfather.

[background sounds] >> hello, everyone. i would like to thank you all for being here. i know my grandfather touched many people's lives, and it makes me so happy to see so many people here. that would have meant a lot to him. since my grandfather's passing, the news, social media and everything in between as reported on his accomplishments and defeats that are significant to all his friends and colleagues. we as a family feel that there is so much more to our grandfather than just the legislation that he has gotten

passed. at one point in my life, i was extremely passionate about joining the armed services. just as my grandfather had served in world war ii. he wanted me to pursue a path in life that was a little more safe, was the way he put it. and he would always tell me the same story over and over. the story began with him climbing up a pole, changing some wires for the signal corps, and 100 yards away a bomb would go off, and it would shake the pole. and the next time it was 50 yards closer. six months later he held on by one hand and almost got electrocuted. [laughter] and i realize that my grandfather was just a truly amazing man. he would always have a story for everything to show you which path you should try to take and which path you should actually take.

with all his adventures, he made me realize the dangers associated with being a member of the armed forces. i have so much appreciation for all those who put their lives at risk and it grew dramatically every time he told this story, and i want to thank all of those who have served. and now i'm going to give it over to my brother. >> fortunately for me, i had a chance to see my grandfather recently while he was restrained to his wheelchair. in the couple of minutes of seeing him, i could tell that he wasn't pleased with not being able to walk and move under his own power. as a way to ease the pain, i suggested that maybe i could push him for a bit through the streets of new york city. his face brightened up immediately for a chance to go a little faster in his chair, and after enough fighting with his personal assistant, he got his wish. when taking hold of the handles, i told him jokingly to get ready for when i start sprinting. although i was never able to really run with him, the pure emotions i felt that day when he

was genuinely happy and trusting me to hold him were surreal. at that point i realized that no matter how tough and stubborn of a man he was, there was always a place in his heart for not only me, but for all of us grandkids. there isn't a more passionate and loving man that i've known. and even though he can sometimes be tough on us, he cherishes us all with the entirety of his heart. i truly believe my grandfather would live to be at least 250 years old. [laughter] pushing himself every waking day. his frightening spirit and unwavering toughnesses led me to think that there isn't a possible be way to bow down to anyone or anything. unfortunately, the sad truth is no one is invincible, not even my grandfather. but even he has to be proud of the way he left, kicking and punching all the way to the very end. i loved him and everything he stands for. quietly expecting perfection without saying it. it's a constant reminder that we can always be better. it will stick with me for my

entire life. there will never be another man like him, and that's why he's my papa. i love you, and i'm always thinking about you. you are missed. >> i've come to realize that every moment i spent with my grandfather was a lesson to make me a better person. i will live my life by the virtues that he instilled in me, and i will hope that one day i can pass them on. papa, i will always love you and keep you in my heart and mind. whenever i need guidance, i know you're there for me. hello. i am molly, the oldest granddaughter of frank lautenberg. my grandfather is the greatest man i've ever met, and although he's no longer with us, the things he's done -- not only for my family, his state, our country and even places as far as israel -- will continue to affect each and every one of us every single day.

next year i will be attending george washington university which is approximately three blocks from his apartment. one of the major pluses of attending this university was that my grandfather would be very close by. i knew he would be there whenever i needed someone or ran out of money on my food card. [laughter] every single day when i walk around washington, d.c., the city in which my papa was such a large part of, i will think of him and all the wonderful things he has done. i will miss him every single day, and he will forever be in my heart and memory. i hope that my contribution to this world will be even a fraction of what my grandfather has accomplished. i love you, papa. rest in peace. >> hi, my name is aaron, the third eldest grandchild of the late senator lautenberg, or as i prefer to call him, my papa

frank. like those who spoke before me, the rabbis, senators menendez, my mother, aunts, uncles and cousin, i'd rather take an opportunity to talk about what made him so great in my eyes. after all, in preparation for the ceremony today, today should be a day to celebrate papa's incredible life. he did and could speak to anyone and everyone no matter how long it took. he didn't care who he was talking to. he made all of his acquaintances feel special. he always had time to be courteous to and intrigued by the people he came in contact with and often spent hours, if not days telling me about all these people. this brings me to a story at the locally-adored hal's diner in west orange, new mexico. papa took -- new jersey. after we had finished eating, we were hanging out and chatting on the lower level of the restaurant. before we headed off, papa decided to use the bathroom. a man who was not with us and did not know any of us walked in from outside and then into that

same bathroom. as the door to the bathroom closed, we heard a very loud shriek of delight who just happened to stumble in the same bathroom as the senator. but papa did not simply say hello and go on with his day. on the contrary, papa did not emerge from the bathroom for close to ten minutes. [laughter] it was not because he had trouble going to the bathroom that day, but for many other reasons. [laughter] during that span of time, my family and i heard continuous laughter, and all the while we were wondering what could these two men who had never met each other in their lives possibly be talking and laughing about in a diner bathroom? [laughter] finally, the man exited with a full-fledged grin on his face. papa not only made him happy in that moment, but he made this man's day. had he met papa before that day, it would just have been a regular moment. the story acts as a perfect microcosm to who papa was and the lasting impression he has

left on me and all of you before me. he always had time to make an impact on someone's life, and if he didn't have time, he made time. that, i think, is the biggest reason he decided to enter politics in the first place. he wanted to make an impact, and he did not accomplish anything less than that. it is because of his love and care for others that papa was able to make so many friends over the years and achieve so much, and above all other reasons, i think that is why you are all here to celebrate papa's life today. because he always did whatever he could to improve a life whether it was mine, yours, or a total strangers' who he bumped into in a restroom. papa would be so excited to see so many friends and family members together. it would mean so much just as it means so much to my family and me. thank you. >> hi. i'm maddie. i can say that my grandfather's probably the most dedicated and

hard working person i ever met. he fought to make the world a better place. back when i was around 5 years old, papa took all of us to sterling forest, and we all planted trees. each one of us doing something little, like planning trees, can have a long effect on the world. he always taught us things that pertained to everyday life like speaking up, working hard and fighting for what we believe in. papa was very supportive of funding for cancer and diabetes research hoping to find cures. people all over the world struggle on a day-to-day basis with these diseases and to have someone like my grandfather dedicate his time and money really helped people have hope. my grandfather touched the hearts of many people, mine being one of them. one day i hope to help people just like he did and make a difference in this world. love you, papa, rest in peace. >> hello, i'm talia, his sixth grandchild. two days ago one of the most

important people in my life passed away. he was the greatest man, grandfather and senator creating a huge impact on not just my life, but also the fortunate people of new jersey and the rest of the country. he taught me so many important things that helped shape the person i've become and will become in the future including the importance of hard work, dedication, how to fight for a cause that i truly believe in and so much more. he taught me how to be a leader by watching him make speeches and vote to make the state of new jersey and the entire country a better place. he accomplished more in his lifetime than i could ever hope to accomplish, and he made someone's life a little bit happier in everything he did. i will always try to achieve my goals, work my hardest and do my best for him. i'll always remember his incredible sense of humor and how he always began our conversations with a joke or by just goofing around. he always put a smile on my face the second i saw him or heard his voice on the phone. the senate became an exciting and special part of mine.

he always made sure that he included time with his family throughout his career whether it was campaigning together or just sitting in his office in the capitol. there's a newspaper picture, very special to me, which hangs in my room. it is of him holding me while awaiting election returns in 2002 when i was 5. whenever i look at that picture, i think of all the fun and special times that i spent with him doing many things that 5-year-olds don't usually get to do. i remember the lively and bright glimmer in his eyes whenever i accompanied him to something work related. he truly loved nothing more than working to help people, and i loved watching him be so happy. but i was also so fortunate to know the more personal side of him. -- personable side of him. i loved his visits to my house where i talked about my recent sports. from eating bagels on a sunday morning to walking through the capitol, every moment i spent with him is special, and i'm so grateful to have those memories. although i won't be able to make any more, i will cherish the

memories i made with him forever. no one could come close to deserving the amount of respect he has. papa, thank you for always making time to spend with our family and always putting a smile on my face. i love you and the impact you've made on me forever. thank you. i couldn't have asked for a better man to be called my grandfather, and i'm so proud to be called your granddaughter. love you, papa. >> hi, my name is lauren. i am the fourth oldest granddaughter. thank you all for being here on this special day for our family. on wednesday, june 3rd, at 4:02 a.m. our grandfather sadly passed away. he has done so much for our country, and i can't help but thank him enough. it means so much to us that you could make the time to come and share the love with us. papa was a very special man in my life. he made the people of new jersey very proud.

i love you very much. rest in peace. >> i'm the fifth oldest granddaughter. he taught us so many important lessons that we will never forget. he taught us the importance of hard work. one of the many lessons that he taught us that we will always remember is how to be a leader. we have learned this by watching him on live tv and watching him make speeches in front of thousands of people. we love you very much, papa. rest in peace. >> hi, my name is sam. i am papa frank's 9-year-old granddaughter. i wanted to do this speech for my papa, because he is my biggest hero. he was smart, funny, and i loved him dearly. while he was working for the people in new jersey, he always made time to see me. his grandkids. my favorite memory of him is when he would sit me on his lap, and we would hug each other so tight while he made up silly

songs about me. they always made me laugh. he always loved hearing about all sports and activities i do. i would always cheer him on. now, papa, i would like to cheer you on. be brave and proud of all you have accomplished in your lifetime and know that you have taught me that by making other people happy, i can do great things too. love you, papa, and always will. >> children speaking so lovingly of their grandfather, i think it's appropriate that we should call on a dear family friend,

singer brian stokes mitchell, to sing. >> thank you. thank you. good afternoon, everybody. there's nothing like music, i think, to lift a spirit, so i am very honored that bonnie asked me to come and do some lifting today, and i'm going to sing two songs that were two of senate lautenberg's -- senator lautenberg's favorite. this first one bonnie insisted i sing because she said this kind of encapsulates his life and who he was.

♪ to dream the impossible dream, to touch the unbeatable foe. ♪ to bear the unbearable sorrow, to run where the brave dare not go. ♪ to right the unright bl wrong, to love pure -- from above. ♪ to try when your arms are too weary, to reach the unreachable or stars. ♪ in my quest to follow that

star no matter how hopeless, no matter how far. ♪ to fight for the -- [inaudible] ♪ to be willing to march into battle for a heavenly cause. ♪ and i know to thine only be true, to this glorious quest that my heart will lie peaceful and calm. ♪ when i'm laid to my rest and the world will be better for this. ♪ that one man -- and covered with scars still strove under courage to reach the unreachable

stars. ♪ this is my quest, to follow that star no matter how hopeless, no matter how far. ♪ to fight for the right without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause. ♪ and i know if i only be true to this glorious quest, that my heart will lie peaceful and calm when i'm laid to my rest. ♪ and the world will be better for this, that one man scorned

and covered with scars -- ♪ still strove with his last ounce of courage to be -- to reach the unreachable star ♪ [applause] >> and this final selection was one his good friend edward turin said was maybe his favorite song. if you don't know this song -- and probably most of you here

do -- it will be very apparent why this was his favorite song. and like aaron was saying, too, i think it really celebrates him and who he was. ♪ ♪ and now the end is near, and so i face the final curtain. ♪ my friends, i'll say it clear, i'll state my case of which i'm certain. ♪ i've lived a life that's full,

i've traveled each and every byway. ♪ and more, much more than this, i did it my way. ♪ regrets, i've had a few, but then again, too few to mention. ♪ i did what i had to do and saw it through without exemption. ♪ i planned each charted course, each careful step along the

byway. ♪ and more, much more than this, i did it my way. ♪ yet there were times i'm sure you knew when i bit off more than i could chew. ♪ but through it all when there was doubt, i ate it up and spit it out. ♪ i faced it all as i stood tall and did it my way. ♪ i've loved, i've laughed and cried, i've had my fill, my share of losing. ♪ and now as tears subside, i

find it all so amusing. ♪ to think i did all that, and may i say, not in a shy way. ♪ oh, no, oh, no, not me, i did it my way. ..

♪ i did it my way [applause] >> brian, we thank you for bringing uplift and inspiration and comfort to the family through your beautiful gifts. to you and ted, thank you so much. we turn to you, secretary

clinton, to share words of your beloved colleague and friend. >> as i was getting up from the pew and moving into the aisle, the vice president said, "good luck following that." [laughter] actually, that had crossed my mind as i was listening to brian. frank would have lovedded that. i could see the casket vibrating. [laughter] like so many of my colleagues from the senate who are here, i had the great privilege of

serving with frank, and i found myself often sitting with him in the back rows. frank came back to the senate, as you know, after retiring the first time and missing the work anded add vo -- advocacy and to speak his mind and do things for his constituents. when you first come to the senate, you're assigned a seat, and it's usually in the back. i would often be sitting with frank when we had what are affectionately called votes ramas, you cast the vote, mill around, talk, and frank always had something to say. [laughter] it was usually a running commentary about what we were doing and what we were not

doing. jokes, which have been referred to, which all of us got very used to hearing, but you'd sit with frank, and you just couldn't help be have a smile op your face at least one time during the conversation. as frank said, it's not where you sit that counts, it's where you stand. there were never any doubt where he stood. he did stand with those families who keep their children safe from toxic chemicals, from smoking, from drunk driving. he stood with the victims of gun violence and hiv/aids. he stood with veterans trying to follow in his footsteps and go from service to school to success in civilian life. he stood proudly with the

working people of new jersey trying to provide for their families, to build businesses like frank and his two friends had, to pursue the american dream. he stood with the riders of amtrack, and most of all, he stood as we have seen so beautifully today with his beloved family. he would talk about you all the time. he would invoke you from the senate floor. [laughter] especially the grandchildren. explaning why he fought so hard for what he believed in. it was always for you and for all children and the chirp yet to come. frank was also a steadfast champion of women's rights and opportunity.

i have heard now perhaps why he had to be. [laughter] but i have to tell you, i was talking with some of my friends who are still serving so incredibly well in the senate today, we did consider him kind of an honorary member of the women senator's club. [laughter] barbara mccolls ski, the longest serving woman in the senate, has a phrase for those of our male colleagues who really go the extra mile on behalf of women. she calls them our galahads. frank of one of them, but he would have been the first to say he was doing it for his daughters and for his granddaughters. now, when he left the senate, the first time in 2000, he mused on the future.

he hopedded that someday, one of my grandchildren would open a history book and say, there was my grandfather. he was the one who stopped smoking op airplanes. he was the one who raised the drinking age to 21 saving thousands of families from having to mourn the loss of a child. things to help this country that last far beyond his service in the senate. well, we don't have to wait for the history books. these young men and women who we heard from could not be prouder of their papa. met me offer another memory that stayed with me for a long time. in 1999, when i was first lady, frank and i went together to fort dick in new jersey to meet the first plane load of refugees fleeing the conflict in kosovo.

more than 400 people, tired and scared, many of them women and children with little more than the clothes on their backs. the general in charge said he wanted to welcome the refugees just as his own grandparents had been welcomedded at ellis island. i watched frank. he talked with the families, put his arm around them. this map who grew from poverty in paterson, this veteran who helped liberate europe in world war ii, whose own parents had come through ellis island with nothing but a dream, who had written a law that allowed more than 400,000 people to escape religious persecution by coming to the country he loved. here he was again representing

the best of who we are as americans. to our surprise and concern, we noticed one of the come womaning off the plane was very pregnant and dehydrated. she was rushed to a nearby hospital on a stretcherment the next day she gave birth to a little boy. i remember how proud frank was that this baby was born, he said, in freedom, in security, and in new jersey. [laughter] how incredibly moved he was when the parents decided to name that little boy america, after the country that welcomed him. frank just loved that. now, the late robert byrd, a dear friend who so many of us, once took to the floor to pay

tribute to frank. he quoted, as only senator byrd could, a poem by emerson that asks what makes a nation great? the answer is not gold on arms, but leaders who stands fast and suffer long, who work while others sleep, who dare while others lie. frank lautenberg was such a leader, dared grately, and he led boldly, and we are safer, stronger, and more prosperous because he did. our hearts are with his wonderful family. you know, he loved, and he was loved, and after all, that's what makes a great life. thank you, frank. [applause]

[background sounds] >> secretary clinton, thank you so much for your words. danielle, laura, we call on you. >> well, that was a hard act to follow too. thank you, secretary clinton. i'm danielle, and friends call me danielle or step one. [laughter] to most people here, the people of new jersey and to the world, frank was an accomplished man on many levels, most notably in business, as a philanthropist, and in his role as a truly effective, passionate, and firey servant who leaves a

treasure-trove of legislation and legacies that impact us for jeep rage -- generations to come. i admired, respected, and learned from frank, but i adored and cherished my frank. the misfortune of losing my father at 7 years old stayed with us forever, but when my mom brought frank into our lives, he was our great fortune. well, not at first. early on, it's safe to say we hated each other. [laughter] we had terrible battles because frank was never wrong, and i neither understood nor cared what he said, sorry to all you wonderful colleagues. now i do. [laughter] i just knew he was a man spending time with my mom. frank was a fighter. his public life he fought for things he passionately believed in, but in his private life, he fought sometimes because he felt like fighting, and he wanted to be right. in both of frank's world, he was

incredibly stubborn and passionate. as the years passed, our relationship developed into one of mutual understanding and respect for each other. it turned into one of the best friendships i've ever known. we would fight, but they inned in smiles and us saying you're wrong, but i love you, and we'd move on. when my no , jsh mom and frankt it official after 18 years of dating -- 16, sorry, 16. [laughter] bad math. not only was i thrilled, but so happy i could refer to them as my parents. even though it felt like he was family for so long, somehow making it legal was so meaningful. i'm not sure when, but somewhere in the last 25 years, frank became my dad. he cared about me, worried about me, protected me, comforted me when i was sad or heart broken, and looked at me like a father looks at his daughter, beautiful blue eyes that lit up when i

walked in the room, and i felt love so deeply. we could tack and laugh for hours and just look at the other and know what the other was thinking. we respected and cared about each other's thoughts and feelings, and i loved dancing with him at parties where he was the last man standing, going to events when my mom was up believable, skiing with him, and just being at home. i loved watching him make others laugh. he had a knack for it. at a white house holiday party, frank thought it would be fun to introduce me to the late senator thurman. he said to me, nice to meet you, you look like you need a big hug, and, boy, did i get one. [laughter] he was a strong man for as age, and surprisingly afaction gnat. [laughter]

and frank was his hysterical. he knew i would get that greeting and loved setting me up for it. [laughter] frank loved telling a joke, a funny story, or playing a prank, but what he really loved is the reaction of the person or group he engaged. his joy came from the joy of others. when he was sick, reflecting on life, he would say to me, yao not my blood, but you are mine. frank, you were and you will always be mine too. one of my dearest friends, one of the silliest and smartest friends i know, my protecter, and the most second special dad to me. i'm heart broken you are physically gone, but hon -- honored and lucky to have you for so long. you'll watch over us and protect us like you always did. when you meet my dad, i know you'll love each other. you have a lot in common, you

love and cared for my mom and had a great love of life. you two will have a great time exchanging stories about bonnie for eternity. please tell him we love him and miss him, and we thank you for senning you to us. frank, you brought great joy, excitement, positivity, and love to my life, and i'll be forest fire grateful for the time we had together. rest in peace, i love you. >> oh, i know frank is excelling right now. [laughter] dear frank, it's hard to imagine life without you. it seems like yesterday when mom told me about her new special friend whom i was not eager to meet. the early days were toughing and our personalities did not jell. i didn't get you. you didn't get me. it was not until the 5th grade when i was studying the no smoking laws i began to appreciate, respect, and maybe even like you. our assignment was loose,

prepare a project related to the smoking ban on airplanes. my classmates had posters and models. i walked in with a recorded interview with you. [laughter] this marks the beginning of a very meaningful and special relationship. [laughter] i got an a. [laughter] our family of three soon became a family of four. you became a permanent fixture with the girls and the male role model we needed. my mom chose very well. our country needs more role models like you. you taught us to fight hard for what you believe in, and you worked tirelessly so your grandchildren and future generations could live in a better world. frank, there's so many things i'll miss about you. i'll miss your endless phone calls, especially when you wanted to send flowers to mom. whether it was her birthday, anniversary, or apology flowers,

i mean, there were plenty of those over the years. [laughter] you'd call and say, hey, lar, i want to send flowers to bon, what's the name of the flower shop you like? i rolled my eyes and yelled at him, and i'd give him the same answer. frank, i've gifng you the name and number a million times, linda has the number. it's on your iphone and computer. of course, i'd give it to you again. we chatted about the kids, catch up, and be on our way. i choose to believe you always had the number accessible, but just wanted to say hello. i'll miss weekly dinners, usually at an italian restaurant where you used your restaurant italian. [laughter] the only phrase you could say was one that means no garlic. [laughter] you said it to the waiters, busboys, coat check ladies, and i even think you said it when you were in japanese restaurants. [laughter] i will miss you this summer when

my girls are on the swings looking up to the bedroom and you are not there. how you adored watching them. i'll wait for you to interrupt us when we watch tv. you never understood why we didn't stop watching when you walked in the room. [laughter] i will miss you every time i pass the stands op the side of the road. the simpest things in life gave you pleasure. you had a bag of freshly roasted corn, a smile on your face like a kid in the candy store. have you tried this roasted corn? every weekend, the same corn, the same dialogue, the same simple pleasure. [laughter] i'll miss your bright smile, the twinkle in your beautiful baby blues and sound of the whistle the moment you saw the girls. frank, our country lost a giant of a man, but i lost my stepfather and special friend who completes our family, and our whole family, you mean the world to all of them. to the wonderful children, danielle and i thank you for

sharing your dad with us. they will be so proud when they learn about american history and understand the true american hero they called papa. one last thing, your pal wants to give you a little advice. wherever you may be, keep your head down, the fareway is wide open for you. rest in peace, we love you. [background sounds] >> danielle, laura, thank you so much for your beautiful words. vice president biden, we call on you to speak of your friend and colleague, senator lautenberg.

>> if there's a deposition of redundant, i'm it. [laughter] by the way, josh, i'm representing the pope. [laughter] as bonnie knows, frankie's been calling me the only catholic jew he knew. [laughter] i -- you know, hillary, you thought the same thing i was when he was talking. i just wish the whole country could have heard all of you, not even about senator frank lautenberg. just about the definition, you

are the living definition, what it means to be a successful man. i really mean that. i have, as a lot of my colleagues have, i've spoken at more eulogies than i like to remember. i advise you, you already broke the rule i advise people to observe. never make a good eulogy. you'll be asked again and again and again. [laughter] all kidding aside, what a testament to frank's life. nothing any of us, including me, nothing i could say, could define what a map he was more than you've all spoken. i -- to the grandchildren, there's not a one of us who knew frank, and i knew him for over 25 years. there's not a one of us who knew him who didn't know all of you

until i had grandchildren when i would try to match him, and then he'd stop. [laughter] my wife says i'm the most obnoxious grandfather in the world. no, wrong. frank was the most obnoxious. [laughter] i -- and, by the way, danielle, i knew strong thurman so well, i did his eulogy. this is a lot easier. [laughter] i want to tell you something, i knew strong thurman well, and he would be proud of your recollection. [laughter] he'd be proud the way you described it. [laughter] oh, gosh, i'm about to get

myself in trouble. [laughter] bonnie, i'm sure, like -- i'm sure like senator menendez and secretary clinton, i'm truly honored to be included to ask to speak about a guy who was my friend, and i know from experience that there's nothing anyone can say outside the family that can do anything to fill that void you feel right now, people like there's an emptiness in your chest, sucked into it, and i know from personal experience that profound loss, just takes time. i realize, as beyond my capacity, to find the words to do it justice, to frank

lautenberg. orvel, i -- obviously, i can't do justice to what he meant to all of you or even what he meant to me and to this country, but if you excuse, as they used to say in the senate, and still do, say hello to all my colleagues, excuse the point of personal privilege. frank was my closest friend in the senate. we served together, worked together in delaware and new jersey, that's how it started off. we had so much we worked together on. i remember when i met frank, it was in 1975, i had been a young united states senator, in office three years, and frank was chairman of the united jewish appeal, and i went to see frank, and, actually, i spoke, frank asked me to speak, and we immediately, and i mean "immediately" became friends. the thing that i admired about frank so much is that he always thought in terms of what he

could do, what he should do. what he always thought, what can i do to make it better? there was not some great thee loming call debate that he had with himself. it was real simple to frank, at least in my observation. there was a problem, we should fix it. i believe that the greek philosopher was correct when he said "character is destiny," "character is destiny," for all those with frank who agreed, disagreed, like, disliked frank, athey'll -- they all acknowledged frank had great character, exceptional character. we saw that not only in how he

lived his life, but how he died. serving people in new until the. i know you joked about your dad wishing he hadn't made that speech. bonnie says he started at christmas time last calling me, had to see me. he had to see me. i said, frank, is it -- are you okay? he said, no, no, i got to see you, but i don't want to talk to you op the phone, and because we were in the midst of another cliff crisis in the senate, it didn't quite work out, and i remember drsh i see barb smiling. i came to up explain that last deal, and i remember we were talking, and frank grabbed me, said, joe, i got to see you, i got it see you. we worked it out, and frank came

down. i inviolated him to come down. he said, i can't get downright now, but he said maybe you can come up to the senate, which i did. i went to the office. ..

one of the advantages. [laughter] but i said frank look, what are you thinking and we talked and talked and talked and he said, i said frank. he said look i will send you some data. i said okay. i was going to germany. he said there is a guy in germany i want you to talk to, which i won't say publicly. okay frank i will talk to him. maybe for him i might, i don't know and then we met again. and your dad was getting a little more frail. he said what do you think? i said i think you should run. and then he said to me, then he called me again and this is over a two and two and a half month

period and he said joe, i've got it. i won't use the exact language used. joe, i don't think i can run. my legs, he said my legs. it was clear to me he desperately desperately wanted to run again. i think the reason is not because he wanted to be a senator. but your dad never quit. he never quit anything. he never gave up. he never gave in. and for frank lautenberg to decide that he wasn't going to run again was not only a decision about how he cared about his date. it was about his character.

he viewed it in terms of -- my dad whose some of my colleagues knew and hillary knew and my dad had an expression. he said joey, never explain and never complain. your dad never explained and he complained a lot. [laughter] but he didn't complain about his circumstance. he never complained about what life through his way. and right to the very and the last meeting i am told frank took was with senator fetter and i'm not sure if the senator is here or not. just two weeks ago to work out a bipartisan breakthrough to bring more transparency in toxic chemicals used in everyday products. two weeks before he died, your dad knew, and knowing what shape

he was in. it even in his final days it wasn't his health he was concerned about. it was the health of the people in new jersey, the health of the kids in this country. he has left you all an incredible legacy. children, stepchildren, grandchildren. he left an incredible legacy. frank once said there is no and to what can be accomplished if you work like the devil. and my gods did he work like the devil. bob menendez was right. he was tenacious. he worked and worked and worked and this guy who was raised as was pointed out many times today, the son of very proud

immigrants. i'm told the first time he ever left the new jersey and new york region was to rejoin the united states army. he was shipped out. when he came back, proudly he will tell you to anyone who would listen, he went to columbia. he didn't just go to school. he went to columbia. and so anyone who knew frank wouldn't be at all surprised why frank was so ornery. some of my colleagues and senators, 72 none of them are that old fortunately but he remembered the fight on the new g.i. bill. frank was passionate about it. absolutely passionate about it. because he knew. he knew what it could mean and he andy knew why it was deserved. everything your dad did,

everything he did was done with passion and success. he was proud of adp. it wasn't just -- he was proud, proud. he was proud to be a. he was proud of his heritage. he was proud to be a united states senator. like me and i think my colleagues the greatest honor i think they can beat bestowed upon you. and i don't think there are many senators, a lot of accomplished women and men here but i don't think there are many, and some of them have done great things, there are not many senators who

can in the immediate time that they are active c. and immediately the effects of the good things they have done. frank was able to do that. frank knows that notwithstanding the fact he probably did put you in trouble at college when he changed the drinking age to 21. [laughter] but he calculated as a secretary of transportation ray lahood can tell you he saved over 21,000 lives so far. people not smoking on airplanes. how many thousands of more lives has that saved since it was done? he is the reason why as hillary referenced since 1989 hundreds of thousands of jew and

persecuted minorities were able to come to america. he is the reason why domestic abusers are prohibited from owning a gun saving so many more lives is dick durbin said. i proudly road in alaska and women's act and frank even then thought we should have had that in it and he didn't rest until he got it done. as i said his health was failing, he never gave up and he never gave in. if it wasn't for frank amtrak wouldn't be what it is today. that is not an exaggeration, and josh i want to tell you something. nobody literally in history has ridden amtrak as much as me as a conductor.

[laughter] over 8000 round trips i have made literally. 8000 round trips between washington and wilmington. i never had a home or an apartment in 36 years in wilmington. the conductors were like a family as the secret service knows. the first time i got on amtrak one of my good friends said joey and he grabs my face. [laughter] as they will tell you, they are still my buddies. i took the train every single day. i got it down to seven minutes to take the train and i sometimes missed it. one day i am breaking my neck to get to the train. i am sprinting. if you ever take amtrak, anybody when you hit washington station

if they know joe biden and they will tell you the story about my trying to make the train. i am like those old commercials running for the airplane jumping over chairs. i am carrying my bag and my staff deliberately weighed me down with ways to slow me down. [laughter] they said joe, hold up don't worry it's okay. we are holding it for lautenberg. [laughter] [applause] in all those years i never once asked them to hold a train for me. in all those years. this is the god street. jill and i would have every christmas the conductors and the families for dinner. it got so big we would have a picnic at our home. they never once held it for me and they looked at me.

i think was chris christiani across the road here in new jersey who is retired now. don't worry joe, we will hold it for frank lautenberg. [laughter] you go to wilmington train station which has a hell of a lot more people than the lautenberg train station does. [laughter] it is referred to it as -- you can't find the name died and one place over there. not one place on the train, not one. you ride on amtrak and europe, it's like a neon sign, lautenberg, lautenberg, lautenberg. [laughter] your dad is an amazing man. he's the only guy who made me feel like i was junior to him and i've have been here longer than all of them. [laughter] oh man i will tell you. but he did make a difference josh. he got me on the train occasionally. and by the way you'd know i

saved amtrak three times before he was elected. i don't know how that would happen. do you know what i mean? [laughter] that is mostly true. [laughter] your dad and i had a little as they say in southern delaware we had an auburn ball as they say in the southern part of my state. in washington one stop in philadelphia and the new york and i said over my dead body. you think i'm kidding. that's the only time frank and i and i said frank, you are a powerful guy.

[laughter] and frank you will not get another judge in new jersey, i promise you. he actually cut out to delaware station my friend. he said imagine what it would mean. i said yeah, you would have to lend me the money to buy me a place in washington. [laughter] look, the fact is that frank always had to be in the game. that is what i loved about your father. too much to be done, too much left unsettled, too many injustices to write, and too many people needing help and for frank, the thing i loved about him, like me he loved the senate. he sought is the place he could do more than all the financial

philanthropy and influence he had in the community. he believed there was no place he could do as much to impact the people he cared about. then the united states senate. so frank came back. i remember him saying to me when he was leaving in 2000, frank why are you doing this? he said it's time. shortly thereafter i was doing a fund-raiser for new jersey candidate and frank was there. he said to me, i miss that man. what a big mistake. what a big mistake. then he came back. i think it's fair to say bonnie there was no one happier than me when he did come back. everything frank did showed his character. as a consequence he would earn the admiration of his friends and political foes alike. many of his colleagues are here today.

know when all the years we served together no one ever doubted, which is sometimes in shorter supply than it should be, no one ever doubted and i think everyone of my colleagues can confirm this, never doubted that when frank said something he meant it. no one ever doubted his word. no one ever wondered whether or not he would keep whatever commitment he made even if his political circumstances had changed and now it was difficult to keep the commitment. as my colleagues know the most valuable commodity, the most valuable capital anyone can have in the congress is their word. and frank had his word. there is an expression my family and as you are talking were talking about your dad repeating things i remembered why the hell i drive my kids crazy but one of the expressions i repeat all the time and that may now repeat is

an expression used in my family constantly. it was my mother. she would always say you are defined by your courage and you are redeemed by your loyalty. you are defined by your courage and you are redeemed by your loyalty. when frank was your friend, he was your friend. he never calculated how that friendship or loyalty would somehow affect disinterest. i remind you that saying my dad would repeat, an old saying, a friend is someone who walks in when others walk out. a friend is someone who walks in when others walk out. every difficult political moment in my life your father walked in. he did not walk out. every difficult time i had, he walked in and i suspect many of my colleagues would tell you the same thing. for more than 25 years that we were with one another, he was always there. you know, frank had courage both

physical courage and moral courage. on the streets he was the kid in patterson. in europe in world war ii the downhill slopes. i used to ski with rank all the time. that is another story. but you know watching him. i remember watching him in the 70s asking me if i wanted to go helicopter skiing. if you guys know nothing about downhill skiing helicopter skiing you get in a helicopter you get above the lift line where the lift doesn't go at the top of the mountain where you can't get there other than being dropped off in a helicopter. if i'm not mistaken memory serves me he was doing that into his early 70's and i'm told although i didn't do it with him, i am told that as late as three or four years ago he was skiing, downhill skiing.

but most of all frank had the courage of his convictions and he acted on those convictions. frank would even talk about himself sometimes and about his public speaking. frank speeches were not marked by the their eloquence. but i mean this sincerely, he overcame it with a eloquence and elegance of his convictions. he spoke with principle and purpose. he always spoke principled and with purpose. this is a self-made man, a wealthy man who spoke for the poor and disadvantaged in the dispossessed and in a way you could taste it when he spoke. even before he entered politics he spoke with resounding commitment. for the security of israel, the fate of the jews behind the iron curtain, rabbi as you said and abiding awareness of his roots.

he never lost sight of the fundamental commitment we had to the state of israel. and he never ever backed off of his political convictions for expediency. in the words of shakespeare, he was a man taken for all and all. as the irishman say, he was a real man. [applause] >> vice president biden we all

thank you for your moving and beautiful tribute. bonnie, we call on you to speak of your beloved. >> i just want to thank the vice president, hillary, madam secretary and bob menendez. you spoke beautifully. this is an extraordinary gathering for a great man and i thank everybody for being here. it's just an amazing turnout and frank would be so proud to have you all here. i want to welcome governor christie, former governor corzine and mcgreevey, secretary lahood, the entire senate delegation and i'm just pouring out of love from all of

you from me and frank and the family and i can't thank you enough for being here, all of you, all the representatives, all the dignitaries and a special hug and thank you to harry reid. thank you for making magic and getting everything done for us in washington. you have been amazing. because of senator reid frank will be the second senator in history to lie in state and the well of the senate chamber. his casket will sit on the same place that help the casket president abraham lincoln. on friday morning frank will be buried in arlington cemetery in a military ceremony including a 21-gun salute and you might wonder why this is so unique, the last world war ii veteran in the united states senate. most people prepared where they want to rest in the hereafter. not frank. he told me he wanted to go to arlington cemetery.

his grandchildren and great great grandchildren will come and look for their grandfather and be so proud that he served in world war world world world a united states senator. i told him frank, you have got to make plans so when the time is right you can go there immediately. you can take a month or more if you're not prepared. he never did anything. [laughter] he couldn't face his mortality and he figured somehow it would get done. it did get done and harry reid did it. miraculously so thank you harry from me and the entire family. [applause] today it's a celebration of frank's life and the only thing that would have made would have made him happier than seeing all of you here would need if this was a fund-raiser for his next campaign. [laughter] as you heard, he did not want to retire and had he been well he

would have put up a good fight to stay in the senate. that is who he was, street kid from patterson and so proud of it. so what was it like he married to this renaissance man who actually accomplished all those things he's on television this week? difficult, interesting, challenging, loving, amazing. what a life he had. together over 25 years. frank was the most positive person i know. he never looked back. he just looked forward and make things things happen. he had a vitality and a smile that i fell in love with 25 years ago and i never lost that love. he was my prince charming. he would call me every day from the senate and we would speak all the time in the senate cloak room when the senate was working into the wee hours of the morning and tell me what would be on the front page of "the new york times" the next day. that was pretty happy

considering it was on on the internet on 24-hour news. business leaders union leaders actors direct there's ordinary people who always came up to him to thank him for his work. truck drivers. he loved them all and treated everyone with the same respect and warmth. he constantly told jokes as you have heard and i had to listen to the same jokes all the time. and i had to laugh as if i had heard them for the first time. he told the same great stories but over and over and he got offended if i chimed in while he was telling them. every time he had a new audience i would hear the same story. after a while i hated introducing him to anyone new. [laughter] but there were extraordinary times with frank like the time he got into a taxi after the democratic convention. the taxi driver had a russian accent. frank asked the driver, how did you get to this country?

the driver said the lautenberg amendment. frank said, i am lautenberg. [laughter] the taxi driver said, no. frank said, yes. no. yes. and so it went on. it was so amazing to see how you can make such a difference in someone's life and how much the taxi driver appreciate what frank do. the driver did not want to take frank's money which frank insisted we pay. one christmas vacation in aspen frank had a serious ski injury and 30 days later he said bonnie i am seeing stars. he went to the hospital in new york because he had a good neurologist there and looked out with a great surgeon. frank had a bilateral hematoma and the doctors successfully operated on him but at the same time he was supposed to speak to 1500 people at the chamber of commerce dinner in washington. frank was not going to miss this dinner so he got his favorite navy suit, a white shirt, a red tide got dressed to the nines from the waist up and got the

camera crews to set up in the hospital room and gave his speech with the hospital apparatus hanging out of his jacket. no one had any idea he was at the hospital. he never missed a beat. speaking of doctors i think it's a perfect time to say thank you to all the doctors that helped frank starting with still ski marty goldman his friend and cardiologist for over 15 years james holland who has been a friend for 40 years and to all the doctors who cared for frank at new york is the turn hospital. they tried to make frank healthy but with several medical issues he could not fight viral pneumonia. the staff of nurses and caregivers that took loving care of frank. thank you ramona connie mildred and my domestic engineer who was there for frank at every moment and who he depended on for her able assistance. we owe so much to dan katz and brendan and the entire lautenberg staff who what we

have done without this extraordinary group of intelligent people who didn't miss a beat and kept the engine revving through frank's and was an kept the good stories in and kept the dark ones out. i can't thank you enough and thank you to the lautenberg staff past and present who helped make his career the success that it was. we couldn't have done it without you. [applause] and tulinda reshard thank you for being a dear assistant to frank. you are always ready willing and able and i'm so grateful for all you did for frank and for all of us. to able assistant allen or who take care of all his personal business life. he depended on her and respected her ability and friendship for over 45 years starting in adp. to rabbi dan colin, rabbi and

the entire staff at park avenue seneca thank you for this beautiful service. [applause] to my fred ed taurus for the visual and two stokes the extraordinary generosity and talented and taking the time to sing the frank's favorite songs. he lived the impossible dream and always did it his way. to gayle curtis thank you for the beautiful music. i will always love frank and the love and adoration he gave to my children and grandchildren. he was an amazing role model as we heard from danielle and laura and the father they loved as children. he taught us how to think on a deeper level and stimulated us in the way we had known prior to his coming to our lives. his biological children and grandchildren aren't amazing group who he adored and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. they are grateful that their dad had a family who is geographic

league -- throughout his illness we all got to spend a lot of time together and shared their grief as we watched frank fail. vail. it was a blessing for all of us. when he was finally at peace. we leave here today to go to secaucus to the train station that there's frank's name and we will bring him home to new jersey one last time. it's a sentimental journey that will take us to washington d.c. our country's capital where he served for 28 years. it was in a time when we were driving in washington that he didn't say the difficulties and frustrations. he felt like he was in the world series every day. his job stimulated him challenged him and kept him vibrant and young. it was the place he wanted to travel for his final curtain. frank, i'm so happy to take care of you when you needed a lot of tlc but i heard everyday watching every day watching us suffer. in return you told me that i have done everything for you

that is possible except to give birth to your children but you left me as if i did. rest in peace my love. i will miss you always and thank you to the most beautiful memories and extraordinary life. [applause] >> bonnie, vice president biden, secretary clinton, senator menendez, to each of the children and grandchildren thank you for your words spoken from the heart. a portrait of a life well lived, worthy of continued admiration and study, a life whose deeds and ideals will serve as the bar of aspiration to so many here

and so many not here today. as i made mention, senator lautenberg like moses himself said each of us will not arrive in the promised land. in that sense the service taking place on this side of the jordan, on this side of the hudson has a poignancy verging on the poetic. the torah accounts that the decree was given as moses argued , god brought moses to the top of the mountain. though he would not enter he would be granted the chance of the journey ahead. the legend for the tradition explains it wasn't just the topography that moses saw that day but the blessing of seeing into the future. the compassionate act of being able to see one's legacy extend beyond one's lifetime. the children and grandchildren, the generations to come. and i suspect that on that morning as frank passed into

god's embrace a similar puzzle may have taken place in the heavens between senator lautenberg and his divine sparring partner and though god's decree would be final frank knew full well that he enjoyed not just the blessing of a life well lived but the comfort of knowing that his essence would need for a blessing and for the future. so too today, tomorrow and the months and years ahead through our words, our memories and most importantly our deeds we likewise have the obligation to ensure that even in loss the extended shadow of senator lautenberg exempts long past this day and in so doing individually and collectively will we ensure that his memory is for a blessing for generations to calm. amen. please rise for the memorial prayer.

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> exalted compassionate god grant sheltering presence the holy and appear, the soul of senator frank lautenberg, who

has gone to his eternal home. merciful when we asked that her loved ones find perfect peace in your internal embrace. may his life be bound up in the bond of life and his soul rest in peace and let us all say amen. i would ask that everyone remain standing in their seats as the family escorts the casket out of the building. the immediate family towards the capital police who will lead the procession to the frank lautenberg rail station in secaucus new jersey. following the families processional i will ask that you remain in your seats until the official parties have exited according to the directions. the senator will lie in repose on thursday on the senate floor for burial at arlington cemetery on friday morning. may the memory of frank lautenberg be for an eternal

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♪ as the ceremony comes a close senator frank lautenberg passed away earlier this week due to complications from pneumonia. he was 89. just before the ceremony got underway we showed you tributes to senator lautenberg from colleagues in this -- the senate. also if you missed any of this service is available for any time at c-span.org. by the way the senate is not in session today so senators can attend services in new york city. later today senator lautenberg's body will be returned to washington. his body will lie in repose tomorrow in the senate chamber and the burial will take lace on friday morning at arlington national cemetery. we are going live now to capitol hill where the farm

services committee has been marking up the pro-patients bill. it is expected to last until early tomorrow morning. >> 23 of them are looking to expand them. the problem is are we approving military construction projects? the buildings that are built new are built without independent hvac system so our cost to go to a decentralized opposed to a centralized system continues to increase and be incurred. i think as we look to new construction we should look at having each of the buildings being able to have independent heating and cooling as opposed to perpetuating these massive spiderlike systems going across their base. the more they can be known about these issues and effects on military projection in the operation of the buildings and the system sends over that i will withdraw the amendment and look to continue to pursue this

issue this year. >> the gentleman withdraws the amendment. are there any further amendments >> thank you mr. chairman. i have a amendments 065. >> will the clerk please pass out the amendment? without objection the reading of the amendment will be dispensed with. the chair now recognizes as the gentleman for the purposes of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you mr. chairman. i would like to offer and withdraw this amendment but before i withdraw that i would like to speak about the importance of it. mr. chairman at a time when we severely need to update our country's infrastructure he must use all of the resources available to the federal government to ensure that roads are built, bridges are safe and our ports can continue to support the movement of goods

domestically and internationally. it is for this reason that i offer this amendment to clarify the port infrastructure development program created by the ndaa for fy2010. excuse me, created by the ndaa for 2010 and can be used by the nara d. administered cities provide grants to the court. currently the language only allows technical assistance. given the scarcity of regularly available federal infrastructure grant programs available to ports infrastructure needs aside from the various iterations of the grant program this program can provide a much-needed source of funding for critical infrastructure projects. in illinois the program would allow america central core to compete for funds to help defray the advancement of the south harbor project. the project has a 200 million-dollar yearly impact on the st. louis regional area economy and will improve transportation efficiencies,

create jobs, promote economic growth and significantly enhance the ports world as a hub for shifting -- shipping. i will withdraw my amendment at this time and seek the support for his passage when it moves to floor consideration. i ask for unanimous consent to withdraw. >> the gentleman ask unanimous consent to withdraw his amendment. with no objection, so ordered. are there other amendments? >> thank you mr. chairman. i have haven't amendment 20631. >> we asked the clerk to pass out the amendment. without objection the reading of the amendment will be dispensed with. the chair now recognizes the gentleman for the purpose of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you mr. chairman.

representative duckworth and i offer this amendment to stop the waste of millions of dollars by the military services while simplifying the logistics operations in the process. but at a time when we are asking our military to do more with less, we must find ways to cut costs no matter how big or small. not too long ago back in 2002, the armed forces only use two different camouflage uniforms one for the wooded jungle terrain and one for the desert. now there are 10 different uniform combinations between the branches and more being developed. were those who don't think it's strange there are so many different uniforms it's worth noting that from 1982 to two to 2002 the military services were one common uniform, the battle dress uniform. as you will recall there were never more than one during that time period without a proliferation in combat uniforms which speaks to the question of whether or not multiple options and uniforms or need to maintain

military effectiveness. a recent washington for post article noted over the past 12 years before services have been spent $10 million for development and testing than it camouflage uniforms. hundreds of millions more have been spent in buying the uniforms and matching personal equipment from best to helmet covers to body armor carriers. in a recent report the gao estimates the army alone could save $82 million that partnered with another service to have a common uniform rather than yet another service specific one. our men would do the following. first it states that there should be a joint combat uniform with very asians allowed for different combat environments. second, it prohibited the military services from fielding a new uniform unless it's going to be a joint uniform use by all the services or if there is an existing one already in service.

third, the service secretaries would coordinate to ensure that new uniforms are joint effective and compatible with other personal equipment our troops carry such as body armor and helmets were differences in color pattern can be seen. for that fourth it provides exceptions for special operations command in ancillary services to the guidance and working our vehicle crew uniforms and using -- find it provides a blanket waiver the sacred events can exercise of their exceptional operational circumstances that require different uniforms between services. in a time of fiscal constraint we should not cut an abundance of uniforms, we should cut an abundance of uniforms and not technicians at scott air force base and other installations across the country. i urge my fellow committee members to support this commonsense proposal to reduce cost and simplify the uniform process for armed services.

>> the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from virginia mr. whitman request time. >> yes mr. chairman i request time to speak in favor of the amendment. >> thank you mr. chairman. i think this is a good effort. i want to remind folks that we have been through this imagination in the past back-and-forth, back-and-forth. hopefully this actually resolves this thing gets things going forward. i understand the efficiency of having a joint combat camouflage uniform and i think there are enough exceptions to make sure the service branches can do the same to make sure they maintain their service branch identity. i understand those things and understand there will be short-term cost with this with current uniform and development of another uniform. there will be short-term cost but i do believe that this does point to an effort to create efficiencies to create some uniformity there with the exceptions to allow service branches like special forces and others to do the things that they need to do.

so i hope that this resolves once and for all the ability of the service branches to do the things that they need to do on the development of the joint combat uniform and with that mr. chairman i yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. the gentlelady from guam ms. bordallo request time. >> thank you very much. i request time to speak in support. >> the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you mr. chairman. his amendment seeks to stop the waste of going to dollars by military services while simplifying logistic requirements. in 2002 the us military use only two different camouflage uniforms one for wooded jungle terrain and one for desert terrain. today, among the four armed services there are 10 different camouflage uniforms with more in development. a recent "washington post" article noted that over the past 12 years the four military services have spent more than

$10 million just on the development and testing of new camouflage uniforms. hundreds of millions more were spent procuring new uniforms and all the required matching personnel equipment from ammunition vests to helmet covers to body armor carriers. the army despite having two new army uniforms in the past 10 years is working on yet another design. in a recent report the gao estimated that the army alone could save $82 million if that partnered with another service to have a common uniform rather than another service specific one. it is for these reasons that i am in support of this amendment this amendment and i yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from colorado request time. >> thank you mr. chairman. i speak in opposition of the amendment peers be the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you mr. chairman did i

think the amount of savings we are talking about is small relative to the size of the force. having served in the army and the marine corps there is a lot of uniforms for those of us that have worn the uniform of one service for more and this is really a moral issue for a man and women in uniform. we certainly need to be more cognizant and exercised more oversight when a particular branch of service does request a change in uniform as to why they are requesting a change in uniform. i will admit that having been a former soldier and a marine i don't know that the army has put its time into the selections that they have made but the marine corps should not be penalized for that and i would speak in strong opposition to this amendment. on behalf of the men and women that are going to wear these uniforms. >> the gentleman yields back. the gentlelady from illinois

ms. duckworth request time. >> yes mr. chairman. the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you mr. chairman. i want to thank representative vineyard for this amendment. i'm proud to support this amendment as it cuts down the waste of millions of dollars of unnecessary duplication of camouflage that men and women so proudly wear. i would like to acknowledge with over 30 years of service in the military -- for many of those years the marine corps and the united states army had the same uniform and there was another frieda cornette. in the past 11 years however the only kinds of camouflage, only two kinds of camouflage that turned into 10 different types among the various branches and as of right now more are in development. we are seeking more than 10 -- $10 million is spent in these uniforms and matching personal equipment.

these costs are necessary and do not strengthen our strategy and are wasteful and duplicative. i support establishing a joint combat uniform by 2018 and stopping taxpayers from paying millions unnecessarily. i yield back my time. >> the gentlelady yields back. if there's not further discussion on the amendment, if not the question is on adoption of the amendment. offered by mr. renuart. so many as in favor will say aye. those opposed will say no. the no's have it. the gentleman request a recorded vote and that will take place at the end of the subcommittee mark. are there any further amendments? ms. shea-porter. >> thank you mr. chairman. my amendment is simple. >> the gentlelady has an amendment. with the clerk please pass out the amendment? without objection the reading of

the amendment will be dispensed with. the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes to explain her amendment. >> thank you mr. chairman. my amendment is simple and should be noncontroversial. my amendment would extend the list of waste material prohibited a law from disposal in open air burn pits to include all the items currently listed in the instructions. in other words the amendment simply makes it law that the current geode practice and instruction but you may wonder why we need to legislate when dod is practicing. first of all the dod's record on burn pits is appalling. for a long years dod continues the burning of toxic waste that endangers the health of all personnel stationed at our bases in afghanistan and iraq. according to the house armed services committee report in fy10 ndaa the committee noticed

that an air force facts sheet says that burn pick and they harmful to human health and should only be used when disposable capabilities are established. the committee for the for the noted the department of defense has had quote ample time to establish or suitable disposal capabilities. in the end the only reason dod stopped burning hazardous chemical waste in these huge football field sized pitts was because of the amendment i offered in 2009 to prohibit this practice which became law in fy10. second, the dod instruction that mandates can inclusion of these materials which are either dangerous themselves are highly toxic when bernd expires in five years and because it's not law it can be changed at anytime. any time. given the dod's poor record on this and the clear dangerous facts. as a way to illustrate how noncontroversial this amendment should be let me tell you what is included in this list and

think about whether you would like to be an area when mass quantities of these substances are burned, tires, batteries come a treated wood plastic emissions compressed gas cylinders aerosol cans asbestos mercury foam materials petroleum oils and for initial combustion. drastic may sound innocuous. the list contains materials with explosive effects are toxic emissions. no one here would allow our families to breathe poisons on a daily basis so why would we allow our troops and other personal to be exposed pics they too deserve our support infection. this amendment simply codifies current good practice into law. my amendment is endorsed by the disabled american veterans iraq and afghanistan veterans of america the military association of america the national guard association of the u.s. and the

vfw. i urge my colleagues to support this amendment and i yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from virginia request time. >> mr. chairman a request time to speak in opposition to the amendment could. >> the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you mr. chairman. i too also am concerned about burn pits and the issues that are there. having been to afghanistan the number of times i've seen some of the same issues. the issue though is that the exact provisions in this amendment are being put in place right now. dod is 100% compliant with this and this provision gives the impression that dod isn't doing what it is supposed to be doing and it is. i want to make sure we are spending time and dod is expending resources on things that are immediately before them critical to the national defense. this is a repetition of what is already being done. the policies in place. the current policy is as strict as the amendment and again i think dod's time can be better spent in other areas and would be another reason dod will

comply with her parr but they are in the provision is really unnecessary and that it directs the inclusion of items arctic covered in the dod instructions in the guiding requirements. >> will the gentleman yield back? >> i will yield. >> thank you. the reason to codify this is the same reason we did that in 2009. rules can change and unless it is law this gives the added guarantee to our men and women that they will be protected regardless of which administration come next and regardless of what happens. because we have these laws to protect our environment here in new hampshire and in the united states i think we deserved the same for men and women. ..

it would follow the law. i would say it's based upon the integrity of the service branch. the service branches said it's their policy. i believe they will follow it. i believe they would follow it if they were a law. i don't think you get any added benefit by saying let's cod fie it. it boils down to following the current policy. they have done that. they demonstrated they're doing that. it wasn't 100% compliance with that. it is now by saying that you have to codify in order to assure complianced in the future. somehow you believe they will be breaking the current policy. >> will the gentleman yield. >> i yield. >> the reason they started doing

this is because of what we put in to the defense authorization act. it was not their policy, and we had to make it law. now they have enlarged it. i'm grateful for that. we should never assume that the policy will stay as policy. the reason it became policy was because it became law. >> reclaiming my time. they did it because we asked them to do it. my belief is that they will continue to do it regardless whether or not we codify it or not. i think codifying it doesn't make them more compliant than they are right now. with that, mr. chairman, i yield back the balance of my time. >> gentleman yeedle back. any further discussion. the gent the lady requests time. >> yes, i speak in favor of the amendment. >> gentle lady is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you. the department of defense's current policy prohibiting

burning of tires, batters, are - in an open air burn pit. i speak from experience because on guam we have tons of batteries and tires. we use our tires to shore up the reefs around the island. the congress with the amendment would simply codify existing dod policy and ensures the department doesn't weaken restrictions in the future. the amendment, i want to mention, mr. chairman, is endorsed bay number of veteran and military organizations including the military officers' association. the iraq and afghanistan veteran's association, the disstable veteran's association, the vfw, and the american

leaguen. i want to support the amendment. >> gentlelady yields back. there's no further discussion, the questions on adoption of the amendment offered by mrs. porter. those in favor will say aye. >> aye. >> those opposed no. >> no. the chair of the aye have it. >> mr. chairman, i would like a roll call vote, please. [inaudible conversations] >> you want to grasp -- [inaudible] the victory? >> we won one! >> mr. chairman, -- . >> amendment is adopted. >> thank you. >> are there any further amendments? the gentleman from california is recognized. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i have an amendment. >> will the clerk please pass out the amendment. >> without objection. the reading of the amendment

will be dispensed with. thank you, mr. chairman. >> the gentleman will suspend. >> the chair now recognizes the gentleman for the purposes of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you, mr. chairman. last year we dealt with this issue in part, i'm coming back to the issue because the information that i thought would be available has not been available in the fullness, i think, necessary. this issue started with almost two or three years ago with the navy deciding to build and purchase an unmanned aerial vehicle, very similar to the global hawk. it's a slightly different

version. i think, in an effort to reduce cost and save money, they decided to locate that navel version of the global hawk at kneel air -- neil air force base in california, which i happen to represent. the air force subsequently decided it didn't want the global hawk. the navy said, okay, we'll build our own base at malibu. i question the wisdom of building a brand new base, when in fact we had a facility that would be available. the navy has proceeded in the mill con budget. there's some $17 million for a -- locating the navel version of the global hawk at point mcgiew. the amendment would require the

navy to do a complete and deliver to us a complete analysis 69 -- of the cost of creating a new base, and compare that to using an existing base at neil air force base. i can give many reasons why we ought to be conscious of cost. i can think of even more reasons why we ought to require the military, any branch, to have a complete analysis of all of the costs before it proceed with the construction of a new base. that's what the amendment is for. i ask for support. i yield back my two minutes. gentleman from virginia. >> mr. chairman, i seek time to speak in opposition. >> thank you. if you look at the issue in the navy's decision making, they looked a the the specific of why

they would put a navel air station there with the flight operations. number one, the base supports unrestricted flight operations. it enables direct access to restricted warning areas and provides lower life cycle costs. they thought it through. it made a compelling case to say it's the best placement for these flight operations. also, the yf13 decided it's basing the decision. it was made, we're going put resources there to make sure we build the capability there for the operations because it was determined through an analysis that this is the best place. the analysis included a business case analysis. i know, many have been briefed on that. that analysis stanuated the savings and benefit of placing it there. the information is there. and requesting a study on the issue that is already been decided is at best unnecessary, and i think it could be looked

at saying, well, one individual is going to be second guessing a decision, second guessing a decision in the congressional district. with that, i stand in opposition to the amendment, mr. chairman. >> gentleman yields back his time. any further discussion on the amendment? if not, the questions on the adoption amendment offered by him so many are in favor will say aye. >> aye. >> those opposed no. >> no. the noes have it. the amendment is not agreed to. we have now come to the point that no further amendments -- the chair recognizes the gentleman from -- okay. chair doesn't either. we're not going proceed to vote on the amendments. we are roll call vote was ordered.

first will be the amendment of mr. smith number 086 on which the no's were ordered by -- the no vote won, and the -- we will have a roll call vote. [inaudible conversations] this was the general topic on this was should we have a black or not have. that basically summarizes it. [laughter] okay. [laughter] the committee postponed further proceedings on the amendment offered by mr. smith and should now resume the proceedings. the question occurs on the amendment offered by mr. smith,

number 086. and the clerk will call the roll. [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

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[roll call vote] [roll call vote] >> is there anyone who has not recorded or wishes to change their vote? mr. johnson? >> mr. johnson. >> i'm not recorded, sir. >> you're not recorded, sir. >> from johnson votes aye.

mr. shuster? >> no. >> mr. shuster votes no. mr. turner? >> no. >> mr. turner votes no. anyone else? >> mr. chairman, i would like to change my vote to no. >> mr. macintire wants to be recorded as no. is that correct? clerk will report the tally. >> yes, sir, mr. chairman, there were 18aye votes.

44 no votes. the amendment is not agreed to. the question now occurs on the amendment -- the question now occurs on the amendment offered by mr. andrews that extended limitation on amount available per contract services through 2015. the clerk will call the roll. [roll call vote] mr. speaker roll [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote]

clerk report the tally. >> yes, sir, there were 37aye votes. 27 no votes. the. >> the amendment is agreed to. >> question now occurs on the amendment offered by mr. conway. >> mr. chairman, i would ask unanimous concept to withdrawal my recorded vote. we've had the vote before. so i will accept the result of the vote. >> it was -- that was amendment number 180 that did pass on a vote, and the request is

unanimous request whether we do not have the recorded vote. no objections, 0 ordered. >> the question now on the amendment offered by mr. lamborn number 142. it was this -- this was the one regarding purchase of lease of elect call vehicles is available. the clerk will call the roll. [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote] [call -- roll call vote [roll call vote]

[roll call vote]

clerk report the tally. >> mr. chairman, 31aye votes. 31 no votes. >> the amendment is not agreed to. the question now occurs on the amendment offered by on the service uniforms. requiring all services to have the same uniform. the number was 063r1.

clerk call the tally. [roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote] [roll call vote]

[roll call vote]

[roll call vote]

clerk will report the tally. >> mr. chairman, there were 21 32aye votes. 30 no votes. >> say that again. 32aye votes.

30 no votes. >> so the amendment is adopted. >> if there are no further amendments, the chair recognizes the gentleman from virginia for the purpose of offering a motion. >> mr. chairman, i move to adopt the report on as amended. >> questions on the motion from the gentleman from virginia. so many in favor will say aye. >> aye. >> opposed no. quorum being present. the aye have it. the motion is agreed to. we'll have the receive support on military personnel pursuant to committee rule 17, and consult rank member will postpone all the recorded amendment on the particular subcommittee mark until the end of the subcommittee mark. the chair recognizes the chairman of the subcommittee,

the gentleman from south carolina, mr. wilson for any comments he wishes to make. >> thank you, mr. chairman. the military personnel subcommittee report before each member is a open process. susan davis of california. the mark provides war fighters, veterans and families the care and support they need, deserve and have earned. specifically this year's proposal includes reforms the way the department defense must address sexual assault and the uniform code of military justice and provide support additional in the form of dedicated legal assistance and whistle belower protection. the terrible crime. in addition, the mark would . >> gentleman suspend. >> do we have a copy? we don't have a copy. >> it should be distributed. >> he's giving his opening

statement. this is not . >> but it should be. [inaudible conversations] the mark should be on your desk. >> i see it now, mr. chairman, excuse me. thank you. >> the mark should be on the desk. this is not the amendment. this is his mark. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i hope everyone has their copy of the mark. proceeding -- we still support the services requested end strength with ensuring the army and marine corps.ed a her to the limitations mandated in the national defense authorization act forphysial year 2013. it reaffirms the committee to operational reserve by requiring minimum notification before employment or cancellation of

employment. provides authority to improve the readiness of the national guard. requiring that steek tear of defense to improve and make improvement to the inability dability evaluation system for the reserve component and further authorizations transitional compensation and other benefits for a servicemember celebrated from the armed forces because of a court-martial and forfeits all pay and allowances. it does not include that the department's request for military retiree to pay more by pay increases for health care. in conclusion, i want to thank miss dafs davis and staff. of course we are joined by an active and informed and dedicated group of subcommittee members who i particularly appreciate. their recommendations and priorities are clearly affected in the mark. additionally, i appreciate the dedicated subcommittee staff. john chaplain, debra, janet

james, greg greene, >> gentleman yields back. gentleman recognizes the gentlelady from california, miss davis. >> thank you. i want to thank chairman wilson and the military personnel staff, all the names, i believe have been read for working in a bipartisan manner. this mark contains a number of provisions to address the issue of sexual assault. and while it may seem that it's only recently that this became a focus of congress, i want to remind everybody that we have been working to resolve this issue for the last several years. so i'm pleased that the mark continues to build upon the foundation that we had established. i particularly want to thank many of our members, many of our new members who have been so

actively involved in this issue at this time. i know, that there may be some disagreements on the way to move forward. i certainly hope that all members will focus on the fact that the goal here is to eliminate sexual assault in our armed forces, and to do so in a way that keeps the trust of the all-volunteer force, and of the american people. i am also pleased that the mark contains and to continues our focus on the dependents and the families who are sacrificed so much and have the backbone for the support of our servicemembers for the decade of war. they too, are seeing the stress and the cracks of multiple deployment and transition other servicemembers from combat back here. they need help as well. this mark continues to provide such assistance. the mark also include several provisions for the reserve

component including a requirement that members of the reserve component be provided at least 120-days information to of deployment. our nation has been in conflict for more than ten years. it's time that the services ensure that if individuals or units are called to deploy, or if the orders are canceled, they are adequate time to prepare. while we would also agree that there is much to be done, we recognize that the budget climate has changed and we must work within this new environment. the overall provision to the mark are good, i urge my colleagues to support the mark. thank you, mr. chairman. >> gentlelady yields back. thank you for your comments. before entertaining amendments or any discussion on the subcommittee's report. gentleman from ohio. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would like to comment on the sexual assault provisions. i of course, want to . >> gentleman recognized for five minutes.

>> i want to congratulate chairman wilson and the ranking member davis and ranking member smith for their work in ensuring that we had a bipartisan process in looking to address the important issues of sexual assault in many bill. i want to thank my co-chair for the we worked very closely with each other and others on this committee to pull together sexual assault provisions that are a follow on to what with we have done previously. we drop the "be safe" act incorporated in most provisions in the version of the national defense act. last year we had the strong act. most of the provisions are already law. continues our focus of looking to protect victims. there are three things we need to do sexual assault in the military. prevention, persecution, and protection. when we look at the military, unfortunately we have an issue of culture where perpetrator

feel safers than victim. our effort is trying to address this in addition to challenge the military to address their culture that has victims feeling revictimmized, that f they come forward and report a sexual assault. i want to highlight a few provisions of the first, we have a requirement that the victims receive legal counsel. secondly, we have placed a minimum sentencing in the bill. the word should go out clear and strongly, if you commit a sexual assault in the military, you are out. you are out and out with a dishonorable danger. no more will we have victims that come before committees and testify they were later forced to salute their assaulter. if you commit a sexual assault, you will be dangered and dishonorably dangered. next we fix the issue of article 60. there was convening authorities or those in the command unfortunately set aside military

tribunal conviction of perpetrator of sexual assault. we center addressed that issue -- we have addressed that issue. we have addressed the issue of the coast guard having not been included last year in the strong act. so that they fall under the umbrella. we eliminated the five-year statute of limitations on sexual assaults that no longer people will be prevented from moving forward if they, you know, later have a change of heart and wish to prosecute a perpetrator. we have also provided commanders with the ability to remove military personnel accused of committing a sexual assault given the authority to do so if they believe it's in the best interest within their command. we have also asked the secretary of deference to report on commanders in the military justice process as much discussion going on as to how the military justice process works. we're fixing article 60. there are other issues of concern we're requiring that we

receive a study and report in addition to independent panel ongoing for the purposes of seeing for there are additional items that need to be reformed. i want to congratulate the committee. this has been something for years we have taken up with the national defense authorization act. every time we find app additional item we seek an legislative fix. i think we have done it in a responsible way. certainly our legislative task is not going to be over, we know certainly the department of defense task is not over. it's a cultural issue. with the last report that came out showed of the less than 3,000 people came forward and reported sexual assault last year about 65% of them reported that they had in the workplace persecution from their fellow coworkers after reporting a sexual assault. that culture has got to change. the victims should feel embraced and secure and the perpetrator of those who should feel

insecure and should be vigorously prosecuted. the chairman of the ranking member, thank you for the hard work. i yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. south dakota. >> thank you, mr. chairman. as a member of the personnel subcommittee. i want to make a couple of quick comments. >> recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i thank the chairman of the personnel subcommittee and the ranking member for the leadership on the issue. i know, it's been going on for many years, they have a comprehensive approach in the mark to stop sexual assault in the military. including several provisions that i had the chance to work on. first of all, let me say i'm proud of our military. we have the strongest, the most capable military on earth. that's in large part because of the men and women that volunteer to serve and defend their country because they love this country. any man or woman that enters the service does so with full knowledge and understanding they may be called to duty in times of carriage. that being said, soldiers, marine, airmen, and sailors

should feel safe around social security members. they should never feel threaten in another one's presence. it's time for us to the finish the conversation today. we have a opportunity to put our words in to action. it's time to be bold and say we're going call with the sexual assault issue. we need to ensure protections in place, that encourage reporting without fear of reapproval, we have stride support for victims insist on swift punishment for those responsible. this mark does take a comprehensive look at ways we can bring an tend the problem. a 35% increase in sexual assault in the united states military since 2010 is unacceptable. we can, we must, we have to do more. we have an opportunity today to reverse that trend. defend the good name of our servicemen and women by getting to the root of the problem. with that, mr. chairman, i will yield back. >> gentlelady yields back. gentlelady from massachusetts

requests time. >> i request, yes, an opportunity to speak. >> recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to take a moment to talk about the sexual assault prevention provision in the underlying bill. and thank you -- thank our ranking member smith, congressman wilson, and congresswoman davis for including provision until the bill. it has been a strong bipartisan effort working with congressman turner and others who have sought to address this issue over many years. but yesterday the senate armed service committee held a hearing to address this wide spread problem, the hearing was dominated by military leaders without one sexual assault survivor testifying. of the twenty witnesses, only two were from advocacy organizations that fight for change. i do not doubt that the commitment of our military leaders eradicating this george of sexual assault in the ranks. it's of course, vitally

important to hear their plan moving forward. opinion and information from a verity of sources especially those who have lives directly and often tragically impacted is a vital part of changing this flawed culture. in recent month bs with i -- and officers in charge of protection efforts allegedly commit the crime they swore to stop. it's clear think a systemic problem and accountability is needed at every level from everyone. officer and enlisted alike. i'm so proud that the members of this committee will not let the status quo stand. the military has obviously been able to solve this problem independently of congressional action. i believe our role is to provide the tools needed, and make sure they're being used properly. a number of members have put forward proposals that aim to eradicate this crime. we are all moving in the same direction toward the same goal

of reducing these horrific crimes. this bill takes important steps to address this issue. congressman turner has referenced many. it continues our push to provide victims of sexual assault access to legal counsel. this is a critical step in the process of creating an environment that encouraging victims to report these crimes, and in bringing those responsible to justice. in air force pilot program in four or five months being in place over 300 survivors come forward. and request this counsel to support them as they sought justice. make sure that those convicted of sexual assault will be absolutely dangered or dismissed from military service. so they can no longer remain in the service and prey upon future victims. and most importantly, it takes away the pow dr posh of commanders to throw out the jury verdicts of those convicted of sexual assault. a significant first step in

constraining and challenging the commanders' authority. there is much work still to be done. this language is a step in the right direction, and i thank for your support. >> gentlelady yields back. are there any amendments subcommittee report? excuse me. mr. chairman, thank you. i want to thank -- intlp. recog. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to certainly celebrate with my colleagues the good faith effort by so many on the committee to try and stem what is a black stain on our military and congress. it's an issue that has been around twenty five years. there's been the military academy, recently there's been lackland air force base, officers, another naval academy

scandal. the list goes on an on. for all of our good intentions, nothing will change unless there is a concerted effort for more prosecutions. last year there were 26,000 cases of sexual assault and rape. there were 3600 reported cases, and of the 3600 reported cases, only 191 resulted in convictions. if there's no conviction, there is no discharge dishonorably from the military. as long as the chain of command continues to allow for the decisions to be made by a chain and through the chain, the decisions will be made not to prosecute, the decisions will be made not offer non-jew punishment instead of prosecution and convictions.

as long as we continue to have db they'll continue to be able to roam and prey on other victims as well. i applaud the effort. it is a very positive step. nothing is going change, mr. chairman, and colleagues unless we deal with the issue of chain and command. and to the senate armed services committee, they have the guts yesterday to bring in all of the joint chiefs of staff and hold a hearing precisely on the issue of chain of command. we have yet to do this. i hope at some point in the near future we will. i yield back. >> gentlelady yields back. and the amendment to the subcommittee report? >> mr. chairman. i ask unanimous consent to call up on an package of amendments that have been worked in minority side. >> without objection. so ordered. will the clerk please pass out

the amendments to be offered in block. >> without objection. reading of the amendments will be dispensed with. gentleman recognized for five minutes for purposing of offering and explaining the amendments. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i call up block package number 1 comprised of the following. amendment number 001 by mr. wilson to award purple heart to those servicemembers wounded or killed in the attacks on recruiting station little rock and fort hood. amendment number 2401 by mr. andrews to consider medical research related to -- for the peer reviewed medical research program. amendment number 2610 by mr. andrews. requires a brief on dod research in to improving prostate cancer

detection. amendment number 61r1 by mrs. sanchez to direct the secretary of defense to sufficiently fund collaborative programs which respond to escalading suicide rates in combat stress-relate the arrests. substance addiction and family violence. amendment number 62r1 by miss sanchez. set of congress that expresses the department of defense meeting the deadline for expanding opportunity for female members of the armed forces. amendment number 151 by mr. turner requiring an eight-day incident reporting requirement -- by turner requiring defense counsel. interviews of complaining witnesses and presence of counsel for the complaining witness or a sexual assault victim advocate.

amendment number 153 by mr. turner compliances limitations on convening authority discretion by defining, quote, qualified defenses. amendment number 172r1 requires the independent panel established by the secretary of defense under fy13 to conduct an assessment of the impact of any of the ucmj on my authority to prosecute sexual sexual assaults if removed from the chain of command. i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. is there further discussion on the block amendment offered by mr. wilson? mr. turner. >> i want to give a credit to the statement to senator colins. >> recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. senator colins and senator mccaskill introduced the be

safe ability offered by myself and knick chi. in doing so they added several provisions that were not included in the national defense authorization act because they occurred subsequent to our having dropped the bill. the amendment in the enblank con -- to that on the senate side there is one additional item i would like to highlight, that is the first amendment the eight-day incident report response to an unrestricted to aggravated assault part of our effort is to move up the chain of command. this provision requires reporting up the chain of command so those within the chain of command can be held accountable to the dispositions of sexual assault cases. it's a nice climate -- compliment to what we have den in the underlying bill in article 60 in lessening the chain of command's authority in

the tribunal dispositions. i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would like to speak to the independent section review report. >> thank you, mr. chairman. like many i have my colleagues here, i have been disturbed by the recent report of sexual assault in the military. i love with every bone of my body. the lessons i learned as an army officers, the challenges i face, and the comrade i are i experienced at the core of who i am. as it is for my brothers and sisters in armed. for too many our armed forces have now become a place of fear and intimidation. just a single case of sexual assault is a dishonor to the uniform. this self-inflicted wound has no place in the greatest military in the world. with each new piece of data on the sexual assault and the lack of command responsibility for dealing with military sexual trauma. i have gradually come to the

conclusion that some aspect of the cays may have to be taken out of the chain of command. i commanded an army unit and placed the highest priority on the commander authority to lead, manage, and discipline the men and women under her command. however, in the case of sexual crimes i recognize that the military has shown it is not able to uniformly implement the existing process's for investigation and punishment solely within that chain of command. that is why i introduce an amendment to instruct the independent response systems panel -- independent review system panel. to study how the -- to best eradicate this cancer from the military. disappointed panel of military justice, civilian domestic violence and other academic experts along with retired military commanders will be well equipped to develop a plan for comprehensive reform to prevent sexual assault.

my amendment asked them to expedite the delivery of the report to next year rather than 18 months from now. it will help inform us as we continue to try and scrays crisis. and further more, i'm asking them to take a comprehensive view of what taking dispox authority away from commanders would do to the chain of command. they will incorporate and address the report, secretary of deference's commissioning shortly after this and hopefully bring more light to what it would plebe to review investigative and punishment authority. these systemic failures cannot continue. this amendment simply equips us with more information so we know how to eradicate the cancer of military sexual trauma. thank you, mr. chairman, for you and ranking member smith. >> gentlelady yields back. if there's no further discussion on the amendment, the questions on the adoption of the amendment offered by mr. wilson in block number 1.

some in favor will say aye. >> aye. >> the opposed no. the aye have it. the amendment is agreed to. are there other amendments to the subcommittee report? mr. turner? >> thank you, mr. chairman i have an amendment at the desk. >> will the clerk please pass out the amendment. without objection. reading of the amendment will be dispensed with. the chair now recognizes the gentleman for the purposes of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you, mr. chairman. we are -- i'm offering this amendment and with the intention of withdrawalling it after describing it. we are, as a committee, in the ndaa establishing mandatory minimum sentencing with respect to sexual assault. that mandatory minimum

sentencing is a dismissal or dishonorable dairnlg. we are going further to ask for sentencing guidelines a review by department of defense as to whether or not the sentences could include incarceration and confinement be set at the mandatory minimum level. i'm offering this amendment and withdrawalling it that is a suggestion of a confinement for two years since we worked on both doing a bipartisan and bicameral sexual assault solution in the national defense authorization act. this provision was not included because we did not have full consensus on adopting a minimum sentencing that would include confinement and ib -- incarceration. we picked two years. many states have much greater confinement time periods. ..

and you will be dishonorably discharged. so with that, i with draw this amendment. >> gentleman asks unanimous consent to withdraw his

amendment. no objections. so ordered. there are other amendments to the bill? miss spierer. >> mr. chairman, can we pass on these two amendments for a moment? i'm waiting for these -- some documentation. >> do you have your amendment ready? >> mr. chairman, i have an amendment at the desk. >> that is number 110. will the clerk please pass out that amendment. >> mr. chairman, i intend the offer the amendment and then withdraw it. >> reading of the amendment will be it is ends ed with. the gentleman is now recognized to, for the purpose of for five minutes four the purpose of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you, mr. chairman. the issue of sexual assault in the military is one that for me carries a lot of

weight. i represent lachlan air force base in san antonio where latch much of the activity in question took place. just yesterday san antonio was ranked as the friend did iest city to the military. we have three military bases there now. we used to have five. you can imagine that the community there as our community across the united states has been appalled what has happened in the air force and at lackland air force base. my amendment essentially asks the dod, and the air force to come back and give us a status update on the recommendations that were made on improving the situation. there were 46 recommendations. 22 of them will require status updates. the reason, after i speak for just another minute i'll withdraw it because at that language is already in the mark but i said originally in my first committee hearing when something like this happens we need to make sure that the folks who are

guilty are held accountable and that justice is provided swiftly but also make sure something like this does not happen again. shortly after i took office i had a chance to go personally visit lackland air force base and with regard to insuring that something like this doesn't happen again the military has made positive steps in terms of security. two quick examples i'll give you. there was an policy that had informally not been followed which is when two cadets, there was a rule that said cadets had to walk two or more at a time but that rule for years had not been followed. now reinforcing that. there were also new security features, like cameras that had been incalled in the basic training areas -- installed. it was clear there was an effort to remedy that part of the situation. but he also realize as we all do and this committee does that there are many

more changes that need to take place. i asked about those recommendations and those changes. the leadership was very eager to make sure they were followed through with and i also want to thank all of the folks including miss spier, miss tsongas, miss davis and others who have taken this issue to heart and made sure it not only stays in the spotlight in our country but made sure we make real progress in following up. that thank you, mr. chairman. with that i'll withdraw the amendment. >> gentleman asks unanimous consent to withdraw his amendment. no objections. so ordered. we'll move now to the enbloc amendment. mr. wilson? >> mr. chairman i ask nan news consent to call up a second en blanc package much amendments improved by the minority side. >> without objection so

ordered. will the clerk please pass out the amendments to be offered enbloc. without objection the reading of amendments will be dispenned with. the gentleman is recognized for the purpose of explaining his en blanc amendments. >> thank you, mr. chairman i call up pack imagine number two comprised of the following. first an amendment number 60 by miss sanchez to improve climate assessments and dissemination of tracking of results. improve the performance evaluation process, increase accountabilities of commanders and change the culture through improved security and health, welfare inspections. amendment 67 by miss bordaio, which requires study on feasibility of a establishing a unit of the national guard in cnmi, or american samoa. amendment number 114 by miss

spier, rights for victims of crimes similar to civilian rights. amendment 124 by miss spier, requires the secondary of defense to conduct anonymous survey of armed forces regarding military pay and benefits and submit the findings in a publicly available report. amendment 127 by miss spier. the amendment excludes character and military service from a commander's decision-making on disposing charges on sexually related offenses. amendment 148 by ms. davis requiring a review of programs for male victims of sexual assault in the u.s. military. amendment 170 by mr. runnion, that recognizes the service and reserve components as veterans under the law. amendment 194 by mr. hunter, requires the secretary of defense to use certain

elements when calculating full life cycle costs of manned power. amendment 216 by mr. wilson which strikes subsex c of section 1177 title 10, u.s. code. amendment 247 by mr. smith. establishes the commission on the service to the nation to study the effects of wear fare on members of the armed forces members of community and gaps between the military and the rest of civilian society. i yield. >> the gentleman yields back. is there further discussion on his en blanc amendments? >> mr. chairman? mr. chairman. i would like to speak a little to the en blanc, please. >> gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. >> mr. chairman, first let me start by thanking you and ranking member smith and the committee staff for working with me to include a number of my amendments in the en blanc package.

mr. chairman, this country has a really unbelievable group of men and women who dedicate their lives to serving and defending our country and they enter the military knowing that it is an honorable institution and that they will be held up to a higher standard. they enter the service to protect the country and it will protect them. unfortunately when we look at the latest numbers on sexual assault, this was the case for about 26,000 men and women. i think i look back to napoleon who said it take as really bad man to make a really good soldier. and we in this country have a different definition for our military. that is that we honor them. we lift them up. we think they should be educated. that they have the virtues

that we stand for in this country. and when we work so hard to make sure that our military is the best-trained and the best-educated. when we really think of this military this is unbelievable what we've seen from sexual violence and sexual assault in this country. in this bill i am very happy to have included the bill by congresswoman wolasrkki that we used to strength the military whistle-blower protection laws. the victims much sexual crimes are protected from punishment for reporting sexual assault. with the help of the committee staff and the support of the chairman and the ranking member we also

included in this en blanc package the track it to prevent it act. and that focuses on creating a climate where the higher standards of the military are enforced. it is time to make it clear from the enlisted to the officers, from the private first class class to the sergeants and the lieutenants, that the military abides by a much higher level of standards. once you enter the u.s. military you're expected to live up to those standards. so the track it to prevent it act does this by starting to implement more help and welfare inspections in the services in order to send a clear message to members of the military that inappropriate and derogatory items that threaten the health and readiness of the unit will not be tolerated. the amendment included in this package also requires the inspector general to create a tracking system to assure climate assessments are conducted and requires the secretary of defense to look to including a section in the performance

evaluation for failure to conduct these assessments can be indicated. and currently commanders are not required to include letters of reprimand and performance evaluations even if it involves sexual harrassment cases. and i've included an amendment that requires commanders to include these letters of reprimand in servicemembers performance evaluations in order to identify and provide, prevent the trend of bad behavior early and effectively discipline repeated actions that hinders a good and healthy climate. we saw just in this recent report where we had respondents say that 70% of the time, sexual assaults started with sexual harassment in the workplace. also included is an amendment that directs the secretary of defense it look at expanding the army army's multisource assessment and feedback program to all services, and to making this a part of the performance evaluation. this is the program where

commanders are also assessed not only by their senior commanders but also by his or her colleagues and subordinates, increasing much accountability and oversight of the commanders that does not exist today. i believe we need to improve the overall performance evaluation process. i believe we need better information. i believe we need better reports and more detailed reports about what really is happening, not just on sexual assaults but also on harrassment in order to prevent unhealthy climates. we need to change the culture and we can only begin to change the culture by tracking performance and behaviors from the very beginning. so thank you so much, mr. chairman, for having included this in the en blanc. >> gentlelady yields back. any other discussion on the en blanc amendments? if not the question on the adoption of the amendment en blanc number two by mr. wilson. so many as in favor say aye.

opposed no. the ayes have it and the amendments are agreed to. are there other amendments to the subcommittee's report? >> mr. chairman i have an amendment at the desk. >> mr. chairman. >> is miss speier, are you now ready? >> i have an amendment at the desk, mr. chairman. >> okay. we will go back to miss speier's amendment. the clerk please pass out amendment 113-r-1. without objection reading of amendment will be dispensed with the claire recognizes the

lady for the purpose of offering and explaining her amendment. >> mr. chairman, thank you. i'm just waiting for the amendment to arrive at my desk to know which one it actually is. thank you. mr. chairman, this amendment deals with a particularly pernicious element of the construct that exists in the military right now. if you are sexually assaulted or raped in the military, you have the option right now of filing a restricted report or an unrestricted report, or not filing a report at all. as was indicated, the most recent report says 26,000 victims are sexually assaulted or raped a year. only 3600 actually file an unrestricted report. there are still some that, that will file a restricted report. now what happens when you

file a restricted report is that you're able to access health services but the assailant is not identified. there is no investigation. there is no prosecution. and we are creating an environment in which the assailant, the sexual predator, is allowed to continue to prey on other victims. so why would we want to be complicit in allowing for that kind of activity? a restrictive report creates that kind of an environment. now the argument originally offered up, and this is more recent development, it's only been around for i think maybe 10 years or 12 years, was that, well, once they filed a restricted report they could be coaxed into making it unrestricted. well, that hasn't been the case. in fact a very small percentage of these

restricted reports are, become unrestricted. secondly, we do know that now victims can access the health care anyway. so having this restricted report is not necessarily to their advantage. and thirdly, even though they're told that this is confidential, the truth of the matter is it always seeps out. so the restricted report becomes a whisper campaign throughout the unit. so this particular amendment would get rid of restricted reports. if we truly want to go after these perpetrators, creating a construct that allows for someone to file a complaint and not identify the assailant means that that we are complicit in allowing that assailant to continue to prey on others. and you yield back.

>> the gentlelady yields back. ms. davis requests time to speak? >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would agree with my colleague -- >> gentlelady is recognizes for five minutes. >> i know how hard she works. in an ad why world, we would want all victims of sexual assault, men and women to feel comfortable coming forth and giving unrei can haved report. we know though that that's not always the case and that while we continue to focus, like a laser on this issue, i think it's important that we continue to provide the necessary medical attention that's deserved and not necessarily force people into that unrestricted report at this particular time. i do think though that we have to recognize that the movement from a restricted report to an unrestricted report does give the rick

tim power -- victim power, i think, to move forward and work through the trauma that they have been going through and that he is an important movement and i think we need to honor that and continue to allow that to occur. i think the other thing that is so important, is we have valuable statistical data and, have representation of the number of sexual assaults that are occurring. our worry is, our worry is that in fact may change and they may not be able to use that data as we continue to do today. so i think that's important. allowing this flexibility does allow a victim to feel that the process can, can be something that they have great confidence in. now i would agree that it can become a whisper campaign, absolutely and, we have many, you know, stories in that regard but i also

have had an opportunity, as have my colleagues, to talk to a number of people who have seen that shift and at the present time, as we are trying so hard right now to take that away, i think would be problematic. we actually understand there have been some attempts to do that in theater or some discussions about how that could owe your in theater as opposed to here in the united states and once again, you have a concern that people may not come forward. we have to provide and be very strict about accountability in all regards and, in this one, we continue to get the information, we continue to get very, very important, and environmental, i think, information that helps us understand this problem better and the reality is there are many ways which re really, you think we've just

begun to scratch the surface and if we can continue to have restricted and both unrestricted reports i think we will be more knowledgeable about what is going on and how we can better hold our commission and noncommissioned officers responsible for the tone that they set working with men and women under their commands. so i yield back. and i thank the my colleague for bringing this forward and raising this issue. >> gentlelady yields back. ms. wolrarski requests time to speak. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would like to speak in opposition to the amendment. >> the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i too wanted to add my thanks to my colleague and we worked together on some other issues involving this whole arena of sex abuse in

the military and i think, you know you know, my background as a former reporter covering crime, i saw some situations where there was such a hess 10 say. on the part of especially female victims wanting to come forward. i think as we continue to move through this arena and talked about the things we talked about in the committee, trying to erad -- eradicate sexual abuse in the military we have to honor the confidentiality and honor the rights of a person that they have a restricted report. my fear if we right now remove that rei can haved report and take that decision and all those ramifications of reporting away into an arena where everything starts taking off, that we'll have women that possibly won't seek medical help and that's exactly what we don't want to have happen we're talking about men and women both here in the abuse issue. as we move forward in a starting place to the bill

that my representative sanchez mentioned that her and i coauthored on whistle-blower protection, my fear is, allowing a safe environment to report is the starting process here on this ladder climbing out of this mess by allowing a safe zone to report. my fear if we take that restricted report away we have now put some vulnerabilities in a place where there doesn't need to be and in women and men should be able to deserve and get the medical treatment they deserve without coming forward and engaging in it before they're ready. so i would ask that we oppose the amendment at this time and i do want to thank my colleague for bringing it forward. we'll continue to talk about this issue because i think we are the tip of the iceberg and we'll continue to talk and move in the right direction. thank you, mr. chairman. i yield back. >> jept till lady yields back. miss tsongas requests time. >> mr. chairman i request time to speak in opposition. >> gentlelady is recognized for might have fins. >> thank you.

first i would like to thank my colleague, congresswoman speier for all her work and continued attention on the issue of military sexual assault but i have to disagree with this proposal to remove a military member's ability to submit a restricted report for a sexual assault. restricted reports allow a victim to report a sexual assault through sexual assault response coordinators who can assure the victim receives medical care, treatment and counseling without notifying of victim's command or law enforcement officials. restricted reports give the victim time to get help, time to get a rape kit before they decide if they want to move forward with a criminal investigation. and over time some victims decide to make their restricted reports unrestricted and move forward with the criminal investigation. while i understand and agree that we must hold perpetrators accountable, i don't believe we can do so at the cost of preventing the victim from getting the help that they need in an effort to recover from such

a trauma tuk event. as we work to get a handle on the investigation, prosecution, and ajudication of sexual assault cases, we can not ignore the legitimate needs of victims as this is so important to insuring their recovery. in addition today, 62% of victims who report a military sexual assault also report they experienced professional and personal retaliation and astonishing and very troubling number. we do not have a system where victims can report an assault and be free from retribution. we asspire to that system. we have to be so committed to getting there but we do not have it yet. until we have a system where we can better protect victims from retaliation i believe the services need to maintain restricted reporting and i will vote in opposition to this amendment. thank you, and i yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. ms. roby requests time. >> yes, in opposition to the amendment. >> the gentlelady is

recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to thank our colleagues for all the work on this issue and many others in this room that have taken the time to drill down on this specifics, but i too oppose this amendment because of the facts that number one, the restricted reporting has allowed 274 victims of sexual assault to -- 2074 victims of sexual assault receive counseling and support for victim advocates. if we remove the option for individuals to file a restricted report it would discourage individuals. they would be unwilling to participate in the investigation and legal process. they would never report. it would drive these cases underground. and this could result in, number one, them not receiving the necessary care and support but it could also have a chilling effect

on military members reporting sexual assaults. and so it is for those reasons i oppose this amendment and i yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. gentleman from texas requests time. gentleman from ohio requests time. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i wish to speak in opposition. >> gentleman is recognized for five minutes. >> mr. chairman, i just wanted to clarify one aspect on restrictive reporting because when miss speier was giving description of it many times it is understood. it could be stated in a way that make it sounds like dod, the department of defense is doing something sinister having this restrictive reporting it. needs to be clarified, restrictive reporting was a congressionally directed process. in fact ms. sanchez and

ms. davis deserve credit stepping forward there needed to be an alternative process for those who wish to seek medical care and attention but did not, perhaps at that time or ever wish to move forward with a actual official report of the sexual assault. so, i just wanted to make certain that it is clear, this is not something the department of defense initiated on their own. this was the in 2005 defense national authorization act. two members of our committee came forward and pressed this and i think it has proven as miss roby had said, to provide great access to those victims of sexual assault who wish to seek care but not yet report their sexual assault. thank you, mr. chairman. i yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. if there is no further question on the amendment, the question is on the adoption of the amendment offered by ms. speier. 113-r-l.

so many as in favor say aye. those opposed. no. the nos have it. the amendment is not agreed to. are there other amendments? mr. chairman, i have an amendment at the desk. >> mr. whitman. have an amendment? >> yes. >> will the clerk please pass that amendment out, number 70. 070. without objection reading of the amendment will be dispensed with. . .

in position of decision making. we know the history at arlington. we know the atrocity and the mishandling ever remains. we know two of the computers system there the disappearance of millions of dollars without knowing where things went. where the dollars went, what the government got in return for the expenditure of the dollars. we know too that the people that were there were never held accountable, those individuals retired. they left. there was nobody withheld accountable. the information passed on to the department of justs. no, charges have been ever been filed. if we had a military officer, the military officer would have been -- held to the uniform code of military justice which would assured if they acted improperly through policy or in violation of the law, they would have been held conditional.

-- accountable. once they retired there was no action that could be taken. i think it's right to make sure that we have a uniform military officer there overseeing arlington to make sure that accountable is there. we saw with mishandle of remains at dover air force base when it happened there was a uniform military officer charged. that person was held accountable. that is our obligation, -- i believe to the heroes bury at arlington to make sure we maintain the highest standard of function and operation and accountability. think of this, how appropriate it is to have at arlington, our heroes who served this nation in uniform that are bury there had to be overseen bay military officer. i believe that's the right thing. that's should happen. mr. chairman, with that i would ask unanimous consent to withdrawal a amendment.

>> asking to wrawl the amendment. no objections ordered. gentleman -- turns back his time. >> i yield back, mr. chairman. >> yields back. are there any oh amendments to the subcommittee report? >> i have an amendment at the desk. >> that is amendment number 125? >> i believe so, yes. will the clerk please pass out that amendment? without objection reading of the amendment will be dispensed with. >> mr. chairman, -- .

>> the subsequent -- gently lady is recognized. >> i have an amendment that further strengthen the language in the amendment by congressman turner and congresswoman in the mark which limits the discretion of a convening authority post judgment. >> mr. chairman, i think -- . >> we're on the same amendment. >> withhold. question? >> the amendment that we have in our hands is 125, i think she is speaking on amendment 192. >> i am, mr. chairman. >> we're going do 192 at the end of this mark here.

so we're now prepared for 125. >> all right. >> that is passed out to the members. >> all right. just a moment here. thank you, mr. chairman. if we stay on the current track, personnel cost will soon bit hold the defense budget by 2030. the peace mail proposal offer bit pentagon do not address the nature of the problem we have ahead of us. last year the armed services committee widely created a retirement modernization commission. to make recommendation to ensure the long-term viability of the all-volunteer force. recommendation alone will not be sufficient to tackle the problem. we must act. the amendment would require congress to hold an up or down vote on the house and senate floor. t my belief about a comprehensive agenda for reform we will not be able to sustain our military personnel system for the future.

continuing on this cost trajectory is irresponsible and service to the servicemembers who served our country with the expectations that we would be able to honor our obligation to them. we must do better for the future of the force. studies have shown that given our current trends, the cost of military personnel and operations and maintenance will consume 86% of the -- budget by 2021. and the cost military personnel alone will consume the -- by 2039. we have got address this issue very seriously and very soon. too often we ignore the recommendation. we have a lot of examples we can point in the recent past. only with the advent of sequestration did we pay attention to the defense science board report that 339,000 military active personnel in positions that could be performed more cheaply by civilians or contractors were

costing the department $54 billion each year. if we wait too long for reform, the military pay and benefit system, we will. it's only the first step in many this committee must stake to ensure our servicemembers have a benefit and retirement system that demonstrates our gratitude for their service to our country. it is fair to our taxpayers and the troops who serve us in the future. i yield back. >> gentlelady yields back. >> mr. chairman. >> gentleman from . >> south carolina. >> south carolina, mr. smith wishes to speak. >> i seek time -- recognized for five minutes. this amendment would exercise rulemaking authority would require the recommended result of the military retirement and

compensation commission to be effectively voted on reported without amendment the house of representatives in the senate. in other words members of congress would not have a role. this would effectivive establish a voting rule. it's my concern that indeed we as members of congress, should have a direct role in pay benefit of our servicemembers that we are best by representing and being accountability and assessable to our constituents by having the role. by not allowing any change by congress to the commission's recommendations, indeed we're passing on what really is the responsibility of those of us serving here. any recommendations may have second or third order adverse consequences could not be changed. congress, i believe, would relinquishing its authority to determine pay and compensation

beyond even a barack of military inthatlation. i would urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. and i know there would be a commitment by all of us to work together on addressing very serious concerns that miss has described. i now yield back. >> gentleman yields back. mr. smith. gentleman from washington asks time. >> recognition to speak in favor of the amendment. >> recognized for five minutes. >> i want to thank her for bringing this forward. this issue is even more -- than amendment suggests. those who haven't seen it. the sunday's "the washington post" had a front page story that analyzed the cost. they are about a quarter of the budget now and getting bigger. it touches a lot of different issues. that's just the defense budget. obviously the retirement cosby

the defense budget but still a growing part of the mandatory entitlement spending. and it is as many people in the military have described, not sustainable in terms of being able to continue to acquitly fund everything we need to do in the military. erspersonnel costs will grow to be a quarter of the overall budget. what happens to procurement, readiness? all the basic things we need to make sure that our troops were compensating and providing health care can actually perform the missions retraining them to do? this congress has been extraordinarily generous. i think appropriately so in the last decade terms of pay increases, in terms of compensation for combat pay from common care on and on. but the size, the bite, the personnel is taking out of the deafen -- defense budget will

make it difficult to meet the need. i'm going take a shot on the bipartisan agreement. it's not anything i've said to this point. there probably is probably bipartisan agreement on the basic notion that whatever mission it is we decide our military should be ready to perform that it is the number one duty of this committee to make sure they are adequately equipped to do that mission. we heard the story from the republican side, i think very act -- accurately described how we are not ready for the korean war. weren't ready for it people died because of that. if everything is going in to the growing peace of the personnel cost, how difficult does it become to provide the equipment and training necessary to make sure it doesn't happen? most independent experts who looked tat say it becomes impossible. it becomes simply not financially affordable to sustain. you had the discussion over tricare fees where we have a very generous program for

tricare for retiree. i think they pay $5 -- the 540 a year. $564 a year -- i'm corrected for a premium. as a member of congress, when most people of as an extraordinary generous plan. i pay $5 50 a month for the same coverage. we had proposals to raise tricare fees that are routinely rejected. i understand the politics. i absolutely do. you want to be able to provide everything you for the troops, if it's 2% pay raise someone wants say it ought to be 2.5. if it it's $564 someone comings along and says it ought to be $400. at the bottom line when you look at the pie personnel -- it makes it difficult to accomplish our mission. the politics of all of this -- it's the same thing with a wide

variety of -- i applaud her for being it up. it's something the committee wouldn't think about. we are going to have to if we're going make it work. with that i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. gentleman from texas, mr. thorn berry. >> mr. chairman, i move -- i would like to speak against the amendment. >> recognized for five minutes. >> mr. chairman, i want to say i agree with nearly theaferg the distinguished ranking member just said. i do think anyone who has looked at the current defense budget and the trends of the defense budget have to recognize there have to be reform in the personnel area. in addition to that, there have to be reforms in acquisition area, and in addition to that, there have to be reforms in the organization and overhead and civilians in the department of defense. if we don't make those reforms,

re-- we are going to be -- before too long in a situation where we can buy one airplane every other year or something of that nature. now, having said that, i don't think you can ignore the specifics of this amendment because basically this says whatever this commission comes up with we can't amend it. we can't change it at all. i think that is our job to face the reality that the gentle washington from describing. and not have this up or down take it or leave it from sort of approach on something that is as fundamental to this committee's jurisdiction, this committee's responsibility as military pay and benefits. so i'm trying to encourage the gentleman there's bipartisan support for virtually everything he said. that would make this a good idea. i think on both sides of the aisle, moving ahead we have to be serious about these personnel and acquisition and overhead

issues or else we will have real trouble in fulfilling our responsibilities under the constitution. the military is going to have trouble defending the country. i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. miss davis requests time. >> yes, i request time, mr. chairman. on the specifics of the proposal, . >> recognized for five minutes. >> i'm not fair of it. however, i agree, i would associate most of the comments that he just made that we absolutely need to look at the issues; however, the problem with doing it in a brac-like commission. hopefully the people will be thoughtful about it. we can't do -- make amendments or change anything that would come out of that. what we know about the '90s there was decisions made about retirement and about how we

compensate the men and women who serve our country. there was some consequences, when we look back, were not favorable to national security. that's a critical concern. but i do think we have to put it in a broader context. in the conversations that i've had among retirees and among our military families and raise the issues, i think they are important issues to raise, what they would come back and tell me is what about other issues in the budget? what about what we do with our tax structure? how are we going bring the entire country in line so we don't put this issue on the backs of the men and women who serve our country? i think we have to look at it in a broader way. i think at that point, there may be a willingness to look at some of these issues and have the armed service committee be a part that have discussion. but until we're all willing to look at the issues, i think it's very difficult one to broach

with our military and the men and women who serve our country. thank you, mr. chairman. >> gentlelady yields back. any further discussion on the amendment? gentleman from tennessee. >> i would like to speak in support for the amendment. >> recognized for fife minutes. >> the they should face up to the important issues. and i've been here ten years and we haven't taken any real action. the gentleman knows that. the gentleman knows there's a growing consensus and think tank left, right, and middle that once we face up to the issues relatively soon we're in endangering national security. it's the heritage group or the aea and brookings and center for american progress on the left. it's an astonishing consensus outside this committee to do something. yet year after year markup after

markup, at best we take baby steps. the approach, the expedited approach is flawed. it may be necessary. the gentleman knows that virtually every tax bill -- virtually every trade bill, you know, the things that we have to get done have narrowed if not expedited procedures. so this is an important topic. it wouldn't be shoveled up in the markup today. i congratulate her for facing up to the issue. this being the largest committee in the house, we have to start taking responsibility. right now we're not. i appreciate the debate. i yield back the balance of my time. >> gentleman yields back. no further discussion on the question. if not the question on adoption of the amendment offered by her. in favor say aye. >> aye. >> those opposed no. >> no. >> the noes have it. the amendment is not agreed to.

are there other amendments to the subcommittee's report? >> mr. chairman. >> i have an amendment at the desk. >> gentleman has an amendment at the desk. will the clerk. >> reading of the amendment will be dispensed with. chair now recognizes gentleman for purposes of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you, mr. chairman. it's a simple amendment that corrects, what i believe, simply an oversight on the part of the white house when exemptions laid out for sequestration. in july of 2012omb offered an exemption for all military personnel account, which i believe was an appropriate decision aimed at relieving all uniform military personnel from furlough. unfortunately a specific group was left out because of a

technicality. our nation's national guard and reserve military technicians known as mill tech to many of us are one of the most importants aspect we have of them keeping safe. it's like any other servicemember, they proudly wear their uniform to work. expected to abide by military standards, perhaps most importantly every one of them are deployable to combat zones. many have made multiple tours to iraq and afghanistan. the stay stoss technicians work every day to ensure that the equipment that our other service men and women are using to fight when around the globe is well maintain. and able to return our troops home safely because of their dual status role, these individuals are paid out of operations and maintenance accounts. not military personnel accounts. all me amendment do is purposing for sequestration consider them to be a part of military personnel accounts. there by exempting phlegm furlough. the amendment is budget neutral

and discuss not change the calculation of sequestration. it does not remove any part of scwetion ration. it ensures that the deplo i believe uniform personnel go not face furlough which is already taken off the table for all other uniform personnel. i don't believe in a peace mill approach to result in it. we must fix as a whole and prioritize them so we don't put them at risk. it must be done. unfortunately with the waiver by the budget committee which presents an issue for my amendment, i hope all of my colleagues will support the effort by cosponsoring the stand alone version of the legislation which is hr1014 which is already received good bipartisan support. i hope to bring it back to the floor with the changes and hope they can support the efforts in the future. for now i ask unanimous consent that my amendment be withdrawn. thank you, mr. chairman. i yield back. >> gentleman yields back.

no objection. so ordered. other amendments? mr. chairman. >> thank you, mr. chairman i have an amendment at the desk. 200rl. will the clerk pass out the amendment? without objection. reading the amendment will be dispensed with. the chair recognizes the gentleman for the purpose of offering and explaining his amendment. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would like to comment on the amendment that i'm do intend to wrawl it. over the years i heard from many servicemembers from my neck of the woods who suffered from financial hard times. for this reason, i support the servicemember release act and support broadening those protections. protecting our troops and families financial security is the least we can do in return for their service. that said, i want to highlight a

concern i have regarding compliance with stra protections. i hope i can work to fix data -- and particularly within the defense enrolement eligibility system. that said under many circumstances, individual servicemembers, personal data is hand entered in thed to personal data base very little oversight or standardized quality control. it's one of numerous problems with thers inial data systems. these discrepancies make it difficult for financial institutions to comply. we need to give industry the proper tools to do their jobs so we can ensure that our troops and families get these congressionally mandated protections. last year's asked that dod do a report on the issue.

it was narrow in scope and highlights the problem without offering solutions. this amendment would request tbrks ao to do a study to outline the problem and provide solutions. i hope we can look to the issue and facility an effective solution that will ensure the protections are always available for a servicemember. with that i ask unanimous consent to withdrawal my amendment. >> without objection. so ordered. the gentleman yields back the time are there other amendments on the subcommittee report? >> mr. chairman. have an amendment the desk. >> mr. jones has an amendment at the desk. number 046. the clerk please pass out the amendment. without objection. reading will be dispensed with. the chair recognizes the gentleman for the purpose of offering and explaining his amendment. >> mr. chairman, thank you very much. the title tells the issue web expand on the issue.

but protection of the religious freedom military chaplains to close the prayer outside of religious service according to the traditions expressions and religious exercise of the faith group. mr. chairman, i have since 2005 -- in 2005 i was contacted and asked to call an army chaplain in iraq. i called the chaplain -- his name is jonathan. he's now retired. i calmed him in iraq and said i understand you have a problem. can you tell me what it is? he said, congressman in this division we had a young soldier killed who attended my chaplain. again, he is an independent baptist by training. he was asked to give a prayer that would have a meeting -- a group meeting outside the church. before the body was to be returned from the family.

in that division at that time. he had to e-mail his prayer to the divisional chaplain, the gay chaplain, actually. and brigade chaplain struck through the close which was in the name of our lord and savior, jesus christ. he went to the company commander and asked permission not to pray at soldier's remembrance. and the -- excuse me. officer said you will pray. you will pray as he sees fit. he closed the prayer and he was removed from the chaplain. five of us in congress in 2006 asked for an investigation by general. he was officially put back in to his chapel in iraq. mr. chairman and ranking member and memberrers of the committee, this is an issue and a problem. i would not care if this chaplain in iraq that i spoke to

was of the jewish faith. he had been denied to close his prayer based on his faith. i would have gone to his aid just as much as the christian chaplain. if it was a muslim chaplain and he had the same problem and issue. i would have gone to the aid of the muslim chaplain. what this is is to bring clarity to how a chaplain in the military may close a prayer outside the church. it could be a chain much command. i do not see how america and the military can ask our soldiers to go to muslim countries and give their life for freedom. but right here in america, our chaplains who have to be a christian faith or the jewish faith or the muslim faith would have any type of restriction as to how they can close a prayer. to me that's not america. and that's just all this does is to clarify that a chaplain --

whenever religion our faith asked to close to pray outside the chain of command. this is outside the church. there's no problem inside the church, synagogue, or mosque. mr. chairman, it's ban an ongoing issue a few of us have been hearing about. it's still a problem in the chaplain's court. i think this is a way to try to deal with this and a fair way that takes restrictions and pressure off the mind and the heart of a chaplain. so when he or she closings prayer and they're not concerned about will they be called down by a higher up in the military. with that, mr. chairman, i yield back my time and take any questions. >> gentleman yields back his time. gentleman from arizona wish to be heard on this? >> mr. chairman, i move to strike the last word. >> jentd gentleman recognized

for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. mr. chairman, i have privilege of serving as co-chair of the religious freedom caucus here in the congress. it occurs to me there are really two issues to deal with here in the amendment. first of all, those in the military oftentimes put their live at profound risk for all of us. and facing death and great danger oftentimes their faith is a core foundation of what maintains their ability to do that. there is a national security issue here if people are disallowed to practice their faith openly or in their own tradition, i actually believe that there is a national security diminishment because of that. mr. chairman, true tolerance is

not pretending we have no differences. it's being kind and decent to each other inspite of the differences. religious freedom is really the corner stone of all of the freedom. if somehow we see that diminished within our military, we undermine the reason we have one. and it occurs to me if our chaplain, those there to try to comfort and encourage people in their faith are somehow disallowed to express it according to their own sincere perspective, then i think that mr. chairman, we have really failed the test of our generation. i would encourage everyone to support this amendment and i thank the gentleman for having the courage to offer it. i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. it's there no further discussion. miss davis request time. >> yes, mr. chairman. >> recognized for five minutes.

>> thank you, mr. chairman. and i appreciate the opportunity to smeerk. i really support the words that mr. jones and others have offered. but i have to say that in those circumstance when we have largely attended events that are not in the context of a -- any particular religion, we have to be very careful about that. we see here even in the congress when we have chaplains come before the house of representatives for a prayer. and many instances i know they do invoke their own religion. i think they are suggested they might not do that. i think they do it. but i think that we, you know, we have a strong tradition of different cultures and religions in our country, and we have to respect that. i believe that chaplains of

every religion are able to pray and to invoke the blessing of religion in many different ways without necessarily invoking their own religious beliefs. i think we have to understand that. it's difficult, i think, for those who are not part of the majority culture sometimes to do that. but i also think that it's important we recognize that any agency of the federal government should be representative of the laws the government is based upon. and so freedom of religion for us as a first amendment right, we have to respect that. and particularly in the military, particularly in the service where people come together and may in fact, you know, representative different religious philosophical beliefs. but at the same time they at one in the battle field and certainly in all of the work they do for our country and

national security. if we have people that are really struggling to do that, i think we need to help them through it. not to take away who they are. i would never want to do that. but i think that for those of us who might be in the presence, it would be incumbent upon them to understand that, you know, there are marginalizing sometimes. not everybody feels that way. some people feel that way, and in this country, i think it's important for us to be careful not to marginalize people in that very important way in which they are looking to religion to give them comfort and solis at the difficult time. >> gentle lay i did yields back. gentleman from north carolina. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i speak in favor of the amend. >> recognized for five minutes. >> thank you. i think it's important exactly the points that were just made

that this is about freedom of religion. it's about freedom of speech, and the whole purpose is to invoke their own religious belief. i have -- if we're not going let people pray according to the dictate of their conscious and why they were trained. why not have a protestant pray for a muslim and a catholic pray for a jew if it's going to be vanilla. it undercuts the whole reason why we have a chaplain corp. if they cannot pray according to the dictate of their conscious. if a jewish person wants a rabbi. they should have the rabbi, the rabbi should be able to pray. or a protestant wants someone to pray for him in the name of jesus christ they should be able to do that. if a muslim wants to have someone pray for him or her according to the dictate of their faith, that's why we have someone trained who can work with the muslim. so if we're going honor freedom of religion and freedom of

speech, and not make all chaplains just vanilla, just say some kind of, you know, blanket prayer, then why do we have a chaplain corp. that allows us to have the freedom? see, this gets to the heart of what freedom of religion is about. for that reason, i think we should support this amendment. we should not handicap our chaplains praying for someone who is on death's door in the name of the one they believe in. and so that's the concern here, and when you're talking about eternity, that puts things in perspective. >> would the gentleman yield? >> not at this time. i want to make sure that we allow that freedom of religion and freedom of speech that we honor that. whatever a person's faith may be, let's honor that. let the chaplain pray according to the dictate of their conscious and not mussel them which what the concern has been

or to give them a spirit of intimidation or a chilling effect, as we often hear in legal services with. with that i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. >> mr. chairman? mr. chairman? i think -- time and support of the amendment . >> recognized for five minutes. >> mr. chairman, first of all, i would like to congratulate congressman jones on the persistence over the years. this amendment does provide that military chaplains if called upon to lead a prayer outside of religious service to close the prayer according to the ebbing presentation exercising of the endorsing faith group. actually the national -- adopted a similar provision with a caveat such a prayer might be limited to military necessity.

under the current law which was adopted in national defense authorization act of 2013 requires that the belief of a member of the armed forces be accommodated. which i think is important to promote freedom of speech and freedom of religion and i have seen personally how important this is to families. when congressman jones referenced iraq, my older son who served in iraq, the chaplain was truly a vital figure in service for our members. in fact he came back and conducted the wedding for my son. i know how important the chaplain can be. finally i'm grateful we have the u.s. joint chaplain school. i want the persons training there to know they have freedom of speech, freedom of religion. i yield my time. >> gentleman yields back. >> thank you, mr. chairman.

i wish to yield my time to ranking member davis. >> gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. yields her time to miss davis. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to char fly -- clarify. my good friend and colleague referenced a much more personal kind of service that one would give for anyone out of bedside or any any other setting with, and we're not talking about that. we're talking about those largely attended events in which someone is there representing, of course, we know what religion they're representing. that's very acceptable. that's not a problem. i think we're also asking not to open that door so that people feel that they can in the course of being able to be that -- the kind of chaplain they would be

in their own religious service to opening that up wider for those that are attending an event which everyone is coming together in a military setting. i think that's all we're asking is to be sure there's a respect for and understanding that's it's a different kind of setting. it's not appropriate at those particular occasions to do that. i think there are many ways in which chaplains of all reasons can invoke blessings. i would encourage them to do that. they don't have necessarily to be religion specific. thank you, mr. chairman. >> gentlelady yields back. gentleman from virginia qses time. >> yes, sir. >> gentleman recognized for five minutes. >> mr. chairman, thank you. i want to speak in support of this amendment. thank mr. jones for bringing. i appreciate the comments from gentlelady from california when she mentioned that constitution

-- i think her words were freedom of religion. but not freedom from religion. when we talk about individuals being marginalized. we should never need an amendment like this. we shouldn't have to bring this forward. the people who have been marginalized in the last several years have been the people of faith. and the facts speak for themselves. sometime when that pendulum swings too far back you have to have language like this to correct it. when the air force you can no longer use the word god in the air force even if it's not a religious context. that's too far. when the navy issues memorandum that say you can't bring a bible in to a hospital fen you're a minister, even if the patient requests it. that's too far. when you have the air force issuing a memorandum to commanders that say even when you have approved program that are there to help the men and women under their command, and they know they need the programs, a commander can't even

tell them the programs exist if those programs are under the officer of the chaplain. there's no other part of the service where they do that. it's marginalized for people of faith. and we don't want to have not -- not have respect or understanding. but most of these chaplains do. the key though, we don't want to sensor what they're saying. that's where the pendulum has shifted at this particular time. i wish congressman jones didn't have to bring it. i wish the military hadn't gone this far. i wish the pentagon hasn't gone this far. the reality is that they have. the only way we beginning to get that pendulum back is being i having with i think is a common sense provision that says this. when these people have these prayers, and they close them based on the tradition, i'm not offended when i hear somebody else do that. what we're doing is simply marginalizing a people who want to express their faith. so i hope that we will sport

this amendment. i hope we'll pass it and send a message to the pentagon. you have to be writing this pendulum a little bit better than you've been doing over the last several years. i yield back. >> gentlelady from new hampshire. did you ask time? >> yes, thank you. >> gentlelady recognized for five minutes. if you'll suspend for a moment. votes been called. we have down that you want to speak, and mr. clemons speak. if you want to miss votes, that's fine by me. i'll try to cut off before the votes. >> thank you, i'm seeking clarification here. i can remember when i'm roman catholic. i can remember when years ago we weren't supposed to go to anybody's church and hear anything different. i thought that was ridiculous.

and to hear somebody else's prayer is a beautiful thing to me. however, i need to clarify that when we're talking about the faith tradition. are we talking about a specific gathering for a specific faith? or are we talking about a gathering of people that are not necessarily of the same faith tradition, and yet there will be one minister reading, one prayer that reflects only that tradition? in other words, recently i would at the event where i know there were so jewish men and women who died for the country. the prayer did not reflect that. it only reflected jesus christ. that's my faith. but i felt that others there might not have felt included. it clarification. are we talking about specifically when they are gathered and share a faith tradition. or anybody that happens to be there with whatever particular

minister is or rabbi. is that a random event, in other words? >> this is when a chain of command. usually the person come together new command, they will select a chaplain to pray at the change of command. all of this is saying if the chaplain wants to pray in the name of jesus christ, then he or she may do so. maybe they don't want to. the way they db the rules are now, they are discouraged from closing that prayer in the name of their faith, their religion, and there have been dictated as to how they should close the prayer. to me, that is just dangerous. this is simply cancel -- simply deals with how you close a prayer. nothing else. >> thank you, i yield back.

>> i'll be brief. >> i would like to speak in favor of the amendment. only to say that when a military servicemembers put his or her uniform on. they don't lose the first amendment right to the constitution, it's the same ability to express himself or herself religiously. this certainly should apply to chaplains, for heaven's sake. they are there by way of the endorsing agency. and so i agree with other comments here that the pendulum swung too far when a chaplain has to get command approval for the prayer. and with that i yield back. >> gentleman yields back. let me say i agree with just about everything i have heard. i think it's swobbing too far. i think -- i do not get offended when i hear somebody pray from another religion. and i hope they wouldn't get offended when somebody in my religion says a prayer. i think we have gone too far to

take christianity to make things politically correct. that's my comment on this. the question on the adoption of the amendment offered by mr. jones. many in favor will say aye. >> aye. >> those opposed no. >> the ayes have it. the amendment is agreed to. we'll recess until immediately after votes. we'll come straight back. thank you. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] availability at 5:30 right outside. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

markup is expected to go late no the night. reports said the committee could be in session until 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. eastern time. as we heard chaim mccain say they are recessing for votes on the floor. the live coverage continuing on c pan two when members return and throughout the entire markup. it they are reviewing amendment to the 2014 defense program bill which includes 525 billion for national defense, and $6 billion for overseas contingency operations. until members return from voting, here is part of the meeting from earlier today.

[inaudible conversations] please be seated so we can make sure we have a war quorum -- quorum. >> committee will come to order. the commie will not markup hr1960, the national defense organization act for fiscal year 2014. ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today, as the committee on armed service prepares to mark up 1940 60 the defense national authorization act for 2014. i want to express my

appreciation to ranking member smith to his commitment to the bipartisan seen the bill pass for 51 consecutive years. we are expecting it to be 52. i would like to thank all of our members, especially our subcommittee chair and ranking members for the professionalism and demonstrating once again, that support for our troops is one of the highest priority in this congress. i have always been proud of the process we use to build this legislation. for several years now, this committee has maintained the most transparency process in congress for national security legislation. a copy of my mark was distributed to all committee member's officers on friday last week. five days before the markup. the and the legislation itself including the funding table was posted online monday. while we will delve in to the detail of the mark during today's debate. the details have been subject to public scrutiny for five days.

in addition to our transparency, i maintain the ban on earmark in the mark. it authorizes $$5 52.1 billion in spending in national defense and additional $5eu78.8 billion for the war. consistent with the house budget. it provides war fighters and families with the care and support they need, deserve, and earned. it ensures that america's forces are ready and capable enough to face threats with resolve while protecting from the unacceptable risk of sexual assault. if t provides our war fighters are resources and they need to win the war in afghanistan and pressure al qaeda and affiliates. we made controlling cost a top priority. however, the mark achieving false short term savings at the expense of vital long-term strategic capabilities. the mark also continues

investment and oversight for key systems while preserving our capacity to meet future challenges. our hard working members have additional good idea. we will consider all amendments thoroughly. with that in mind, i know today will be a long day. starting with consideration of subcommittee mark and mine. let's work together to avoid making it unnecessarily long. senator udall once said everything has been said but not everyone said it. it remines me of the past where everyone did say it. sometimes two or three times. our troops count on us to get this bill right, and on time every year. and every year we have delivered . ranking member smith? >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to thank the chairman, the committee, and staff for the hard work that has been done in

the last couple of weeks and months to pull it together. it's an large and important piece of legislation. a lot of folks have to work hard as staff saying this morning. they are already tired. now we get to do the 14-markup or whatever it winds up being. we appreciate all of that hard work. 90% of the bill is very straightforward. it continues to support the department of defense and the very important mission of national security. it provides pay raise for our troops, it provides military construction necessary to don't support their efforts, as well as the funding for various other programs that are important. that's the business of this committee, and the basic work we do. we should not underestimate its importance because we do it every year. supporting dod in that manner is the core of our job. also pleased that the bill takes significant steps on trying to address sexual assault issue that we heard much about nap is a stain on our military right

now. day after day, as reports of further abuses come out, many times carried out by officers who were specifically tasked with dealing with sexual assault. we have an idea of the scope of the problem. ly say whatever we do legislatively can't solve that problem. it is a deep cultural problem within the military that they must confront and must take dramatic steps to change. i do appreciate all of the members. i would name them, but there are so many that have been involved. i would fear to leave some out who have made the sexual assault issue a priority and who are trying to come up with the best legislative fixes possible to giver the military the ability to do that. this bill also in the most basic form support ours war fighters. we're at war in afghanistan making sure they have the equipment that that they need and the support they need is paramount. we cannot send our men and women and the military off to go a mission and not give them what they need to fulfill that

mission. if prioritizes the special operations command, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance as we recognize the continuing fight against al qaeda and the various offshoot. i appreciate that priority. we support our allies, we support israel, we continue to support iron dpoam which is at the incredible success rate in term of dealing with missile defense. i think it's a promise for the future as developing it for ourself. there are several things that i continue to be troubled by. the -- you know, the continued presence of guantanamo pay bay prison is sustained upon the country. it's becoming unsustainable. it was built as a temporary facility ten years ago. there is 250 million in military construction requests just to keep it temporary. given its location and the difficulties of maintaining it, that's always going to be a challenge. i know, that i'm on the wrong side of this one. we had a vote on the floor yesterday, the military

construction bill on the issue. i don't have the vote. i would urge members to think long and hard about what we're going do about the 866 people at guantanamo bay. and the fact it's not sustainable situation. we need a reasonable alternative. i have also continued to be concerned about the ability of the president to do indefinite attention on people captured in the united states. i do not think that's a necessary power. i think our article iii court and the department of justice of proven more than up to the task of protecting this country. they have caught and convicted and locked up well over 400 terrorists. they do it quite well. we do not need to jeopardize our constitution in order to protect this country. i would hope we would make a change in that. lastly, i have to mention sequestration. this bill does not recognize sequestration. we fund at the level above that. i think on the committee there's a growing awareness with

sequestration. it's a fact of life. whatever we do here today will wind up being reduced by a significant amount. at some point over the course of the next six months as we get together and finally do our budget. our appropriations bill one way or the other. i think we have to start think abouting that. in particular, when you look at some areas where we could find savings but don't. i think this committee is regrettably too much stuck in the past when the money was there. if you look at things like the absolute opposition to a background even as the force shrinks across the board. even as clear savings in the long-term can be found we oppose that. when you look at personnel costs, our absolute opposition to making any adjustment in health care costs. when you look at decisions not allowing the military to demission nine ships they say they need in order adequately fund their budget. we continue have a small war

approach. protect the spending program because we like it. instead of thinking about the fact that sequestration is a fact of life, we're have to live with a lower number and be smart about how we decide what that -- not decide what the lower number should be. but decide how to spend the money. we don't really do that here. we assume a number somewhere in the 0u to $50 billion range above what is going to be spent by dod. all of us in the committee we have to hold up to the obligation to support the department of defense have to think about what are we going do when the number comes down? what are the choices we're going make? none of them are good. i think continuing to -- disa disservice. with that said, i i thank the chairman for the hard work and the members of the committee and the staff. >> thank you. just a short response on the sequester point. i have the same concerns.

i'm concerned about sequester. but we passed a house budget. it followed the numbers that were in the budget control act. or top line is $967 billion. and we're following the budget. we have that number the bill, and that will be the number followed by the appropriation. the problem we run in 0 is the senate did not follow that number, they have a much higher number to work with us. it's going to be making it difficult to finish up all of our appropriation bills. we'll do what we can here. we'll keep fighting the good fight. report proceeding any further. i have a new announcement. the order of today's consideration of heart markup will follow the subcommittee structure. we'll begin with a subject matter that falls under the jurisdiction of the subcommittee on power production force on

tactical and air and land forces and the subcommittee on intelligence emerging threat and capable, and the sun committee on readiness, and military personnel, then the subcommittee on strategic forces and finding full committee matters. seconding with any amendment offered must be in writing and 90 copies available. for those who submitted amendment by monday's deadline, the necessary copies have been made. i would like to compliment all of you. we had the greatest response ever in getting limits in early and on time. i appreciate that. it makes it easier for the committee and for a smooth process. in addition, if a member has -- we request that the member before he or she offers the amendment have a letter from the respective committee chairman indicating their waiver of the right of referral. i know, that followed the same process in any thing i have in

the mark. we have followed that same process. i remind members that the approach has been the practice of the committee for many years. it's done so we can proceed directly to the house floor without our bill scwecially being referred to other committees. also it's a practice of the committee that amendments involving additional spending should identify suitable offset. members must not offer amendments that would violate the congressional act, the house rule, the statutory pay go act or otherwise result in a point of order against hr1960 on the house floor during the consideration. i also want to remind all committee remembers that policy that will not bring legislation containing congressional earmark to the house floor; therefore, i won't permit any earmark in the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2014.

.. >> without objection, it is so ordered. the committee will now receive the report on the subcommittee of projection forces pursuant to committee rule 17 in consultation with the ranking member. we'll postpone all of the recorded voteses on the amendments in this particular subcommittee mark until the end. the chair recognizes the chairman of thebc