mr. richardson, who did an outstanding job, to say a few words. but before i to and before we take questions and hear from mr. richardson, let me just tell you how hard i think everybody in the nfl, how hard the players, how hard demaurice smith worked. we crafted a long-term agreement that can be good for the game of football, be good for the players and be good for the clubs and most importantly, good for the game and for our fans. we really are anxious to get back to football, and hopefully today's development and the developments of the nflpa over the next few days will ensure that. so, i'll hand it off to mr. richardson. >> thank you, commissioner. we all know this journey began in may, 2008. it's been long. at times it's been very, very difficult, but we're happy to say and we feel very good about the fact that we are confident that the players and the teams have arrived is a good place. we think we have a fair, balanced agreement. it has been a joy for me personally during these negotiations to have close contact with the players. they have

mr. richardson, chairman, mr. kraft, who have come by today.have reached. i'll turn it over to roger to say a few words and we'll finish it up. >> it's been a long time coming. football is back. that's the great news for everybody. i want to thank all the players for their leadership and for securing the long-term future of the game. having a ten-year agreement is extraordinarily great for our game but most importantly our fans. everybody worked hard. everybody had a passion, and everybody believes in this game of football and what we can do to make our game better. i think this agreement is going to make our game better. so we're grateful for all the work that both parties did to make sure we came to this day today and make sure for the fans we can sit here and say football is back. so let me have our chairman, mr. richardson say a few words. >> thank you. this is a long time coming. i would like to say what a pleasure it has been for us to work with the players in this negotiation. as a former player myself, the relationship and conversations

richardson: will the gentleman yield? mr. calvert: i'd be happy to yield. ms. richardson: i thank the gentleman from california for which we both serve, and it's my understanding that the funds would be taken from -- do with what we're taking is outlaid as required. so i don't believe this would be a hurt to that account. mr. calvert: reclaiming my time. the program has already taken a substantial hit. a $20 million hit, as a matter of fact. almost every other program in our bill has taken substantial hits. we're serious about reducing spending. if we -- if we had the additional money i'm sure the chairman would have added more money in the dera account in the first place if we had the extra money to do so because i think there is -- it's an extremely successful program. something i certainly support. i understand the gentlelady's conviction but we don't have the money to take care of this offset so i have to oppose the amendment. the chair: does the gentleman yield back? mr. calvert: i yield back. the chair: for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia ris

mrs. blackburn of tennessee. amendment by ms. richardson of california. first amendment by mr. lankford of oklahoma. amendment by mr. gosar of arizona. a second amendment by mr. lankford of oklahoma. amendment number 14, mr. broun of georgia. and amendment by mr. walberg of michigan. the chair will reduce to five minutes the time for any electronic vote after the first vote in this series. the unfinished business is the request for recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from tennessee, mrs. blackburn, on which further proceedings were postponed and o on which the noes prevailed by voice vote. the clerk will redesignate the amendment. the clerk: amendment offered by mrs. blackburn of tennessee. the chair: a recorded vote has been requested. those in support of the request for recorded vote will rise and be counted. a sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this will be a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united

richardson. >> thank you mr. chairman. i concur with the object of the homeland security committee that we should discuss the potential threat to the homeland posed by the somali terrorist organization al shabaab. i also concur that the alleged recruitment of american citizens not limited by race or religion by al shabaab, the organization's relationships with al qaeda and those associated with the somalia, vis-À-vis the potential plotting against the u.s. homeland should be addressed. however, i want to make sure on the record that according to the ranking committee staff, to this day this committee has not secured a single federal official or other objective recognized authority currently to legitimize the discussion on the alleged limited scope and insinuations that only the activity of muslim americans should be investigated or warrant a discussion. the threats and activity of al qaeda and al shabaab are real and should be investigated by this committee. clearly it is within our jurisdiction howard the continued limite

mrs. napolitano for today until 5:00 p.m. and ms. richardson of california for today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the requests are granted. under the speaker's announced policy of january 5, 2011, the gentlewoman from the virgin islands, mrs. christensen, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mrs. christensen: thank you, mr. speaker. the congressional black caucus is pleased that our democratic leadership has given us the opportunity to once again come to the floor for the first democratic hour this evening. i want to just talk a little bit about some of the people who came and have ited me in my office and my district this morning. i had a have it from aarp leadership and some of their advocates and volunteer this is morning in my st. croix office. they came to bring this petition to the office signed by hundreds of people just on one of my islands. and it says, dear members of congress, seniors and future retirees earned their benefits after a lifetime of hard work and paying into the system yet some members of congress f