Characterization of this as entirely budget driven . If it were entirely budget driven we would have accepted the levels of sequestration. As this hearing continues you can watch it online at cspan. Org and later in our program schedule. The house is gaveling for legislative work including a bill suspending the individual mandate penalty under the Affordable Care act. Live coverage here on cspan. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2014] we use this moment to be reminded of your presence and to tap the resources needed by the members of this peoples house to do their work as well as it can be done. As the world observes the tensions mounting within ukraine and venezuela, may we all know well the crippling effects of ideological divides. When a shared sense of National Unity might bring greater hope and possible solution to serious political problems. Send, o god, your healing grace upon those torn nations and upon the members of this assembly who struggle to see the shared hope for a Better Future and those with whom they disagree. All this day and through the week, may our representatives do their best to find solutions to pressing issues facing our nation. Please hasten the day when justice and love shall dwell in the hearts of all peoples and rule the affairs of the nations of earth. May all that is done this day be for your greater honor and glory, amen. The speaker the chair has examined the journal of the last days proceedings and announces to the house his approval thereof. Pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 e journal stands approved. The pledge of allegiance today will be led by the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Fitzpatrick. Mr. Fitzpatrick i pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The speaker the chair will entertain up to 15 requests for oneminute speeches on each side of the aisle. For what purpose does the gentleman from South Carolina rise . Mr. Wilson i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. The speaker without objection. Mr. Wilson mr. Speaker, yesterday the president unveiled his budget and used the military as a punching bag to push his Big Government programs. According to a recent charleston post editorial, quote, congress should proceed with extreme caution before going along with the latest recommendations for savings through deep defense cuts. If america rapidly retreats from the world power status, our enemies will jump into the void. We cant unilaterally end the islamic readycal terrorist war on us and we shouldnt ignore history lessons about what happens when the United States tries to isolate itself from the menaces that threaten the international community, end of quote. At a time when threats are increasing and countries on nearly every continent are in turmoil, its naive for the president to downgrade our military strength. Maintaining our National Defense is the primary function of the national government. I find it dangerous that the president suggested this proposal which places American Families at risk of further attacks. We should follow the advice of the veterans of foreign wars, our nation is still at war. Peace through strength. In conclusion, god bless our troops and we will never forget september 11 and the global war on terrorism. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. For what purpose does the gentlelady from california seek recognition . Without objection, the entlelady is recognized. Ms. Sanchez thank you, madam speaker. I rise today to pay tribute to a true champion for education, donald will, who passed away this past february. Dr. Donald will was a fevered advocate of peace and influenced Chapman Universitys role in promoting peace and the study of peacemaking. A member of the chapman faculty since 1987, don was described as a pillar of the Chapman Community for over 25 years. He came to Chapman University when we needed it most, we needed his expertise and the world needed his peace expertise. And he has had such a magnificent sent effect magnificent effect lasting until now. He put all of his heart and time from his academic and personal life into caring carrying out the pursuit of peace and dont we need it today in our world . His commitment to his students and to the value of peaceful relations shone brightly through his teachers, teachings, he leaves a Lasting Legacy of humility, humanity and dedication. As he strengthened the link between school and home, both locally, nationally and in an international way. Im honored to have known and to have worked with dr. Donald will. And i ask my colleagues to honor him today and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. For what purpose does the gentleman from ohio seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized. The speaker mr. Speaker, my colleagues, i know the whole house is paying close attention to the crisis in ukraine. Whats going on there is more than a cause for concern, its a cause for action. America has a responsibility to stand up for freedom around the globe. And the house will work with the administration to support the ukrainian people and confront russian aggression. In fact, the house has already taken serious steps in this regard. For years weve been pursuing an alloftheabove energy strategy. Its part of our focus on the floor this week, in fact. Because developing our own resources just doesnt bring jobs home, it strengthens america abroad. Last month the energy and Commerce Committee released a report that says, and ill quote, by becoming a natural gas exporter, the u. S. Can you is plant the influence of other supplant the influence of other importers like russia and iran while strengthening our allies and trading partners around the world. The key word in that statement is can. We can is up plant russias influence but supplant russias influence but we wont as long as we have to contend with the Energy Departments achingly slow approval process. As we speak, the administration is sitting on 24 applications for natural gas exports, its approved just six in the last three years. This amounts to a de facto ban that only emboldins vladimir putin, allowing him to sell large quanltities of natural gas to quantities of natural gas to our allies. The American People have seen the threat that putin puts forward. They know something must be done. The president should do the right thing here and end this de facto ban so that we can strengthen our economy here and our security here and abroad. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Higgins madam speaker, in a recent nationwide realignment, the Transportation Security Administration made the decision to consolidate all Administrative Functions for its upstate region at the albany airport. I believe this decision was misguided and illogical and all of the other proposed consolidations around the country, smaller airports are being made sboordnant to larger airports. But in this case, inexplicably, the t. S. A. Proposes to make buffaloniagara Falls International airport sbordnant to albany, despite the fact that buffalos airport has twice the passenger volume as albany. Nearly 34 of all passengers flying out of buffalo are canadians and other foreign nationals which would seem to necessitate a more complex t. S. A. Operation. Mr. Speaker, t. S. A. s rollout of this proposed change has been full of inconsistencies and contradictions and thats why ive asked t. S. A. To reconsider this flawed decision and consolidate operations where it makes sense in buffalo. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the rare disease congressional caucus, i rise today in support of continued funding for tomb rouse demrecks research. In the fiscal year 2015 Department Deaf fence appropriations act. T. S. C. Is a genetic condition that afflicts an estimated 50,000 americans, causing tumors in the kidneys, lung, liver, heart, eyes, skin and brain. Researchers have linked t. S. A. To t. S. C. To seizures, autism and severe intellectual disability. Reserve on this condition is having research on this condition is having a notable impact on brain injury and other headcal medical conditions like cancer and diabetes. The t. S. C. Program at the department of defense is critical to our continued understanding of this continue. Condition. With me on the floor today, mr. Speaker, is a beautiful little girl, stephanie, from pennsylvania who has been diagnosed with t. S. C. Her brave spirit brings light to the importance of this cause and helps remind us of others living with this condition across the United States. It is crucial that we continue to band together as a community and a legislative body to support the Significant Research initiative. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. And the speaker will remind the members that we are the members are to refrain from referring to guests in our chamber. For what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized. Madam speaker, i rise in great disappointment of the president s that the president s budget makes no provision for deepening the savannah harbor. Its a mainly throughway for all sorts of essential goods. The state of georgias collaborated with the federal government to ensure that the port is deepened to accommodate the larger ships that will soon come through the expanded panama canal. Mr. Barrow after decades of study, state and local stakeholders, congressional authorizers and appropriators, the corps of engineers, the urs are u. S. Fish and Wildlife Service have all endorsed this project as economically justified, cost effective, environmentally responsible and in the national interests. Vice President Biden recently visited savannah and promised wed get this project done come hell or high water. Only o. M. B. Now stands in the way. This project makes sense to almost everyone who studied it. I share the frustration of my constituents that it continues to be stalled by bureaucracy and urge the president to lead, follow or get out of the way of the effort to make this project happen. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized. Madam speaker, as a Business Owner of 42 years, i know a few things about job creation and with more than 10 million americans out of work, its time to energize the energy business. We need to let the private sector drive our initiatives and promote the advancement of safe nuclear energy. Nuclear power sustains 100,000 highpaying jobs and 2,000 of those are in texas facilities. Mr. Williams in my district, the 25th district of texas, there are hundreds of highly skilled workers at a nuke plear plant who will Nuclear Plant who are doing a great job and doing great things to promote this clean, reliable and Inexpensive Energy source, less expensive than coal or natural gas. Texas plays a vie fal national and International RoleVital National and International Role in the development of new technologies and is among the 10 states with the greatest Nuclear Power generation capacity in the whole country. Nuclear energy should play a major role in our Nations Energy plan and thats why our policy should support it. Nuclear creates good jobs, puts billions of dollars in our economy and is a safe, clean and Reliable Energy source we simply cant afford to ignore. Lets move forward, in god we trust. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition . The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Tonko thank you, madam speaker. Madam speaker, i rise today to ngratulate john burnmaster upon his nomination as chairman of the independent Community Bankers of america here in washington, d. C. The independent Community Bankers of america represents almost 7,000 Community Banks across our great nation, Financial Institutions that provide opportunity for our local Small Businesses and family farms, to expand operations, develop surrounding economies and hire locally. John will provide steady leadership for an 11person executive panel that draws expertise and knowhow from across the nation to support our small banks. Again, i congratulate mr. Burnmaster on his appointment and i look forward to working with him to boost small Financial Institutions and the Important Role in economic expansion on a community level. Thank you, madam speaker, and with that i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania eek recognition . The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Thompson thank you, madam speaker. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the smith leaver act of 1914 which established the cooperative extension service, extension is a unique Educational Partnership among federal, state and local governments and the nations land grant universities to extend researchbased knowledge to the American Public and private industry. Over the years extension has connected individuals and families with resources and expertise of our nations Land Grant University system. In pennsylvania, Penn State University provides an educational network, working to help families make sound economic and nutritional choices and help business increase efficiency and trouble shoot production and industry challenges. Madam speaker, today the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences is on the hill with agricultural businesses and industry advocates to share with us the importance of cooperative extension services. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the smith leaver act, i want to give congratulations and recognition to the outstanding Penn State Extension team which is led by adam dean, chris and thank them for their important work to improve the lives and economic outcomes of countless families and businesses across the country. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentlelady from california seek recognition . The gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Hahn thank you, madam speaker. This month we join together as a nation to celebrate womens History Month. We pay tribute to the generation of women whose current, perseverance, and leadership have helped build our great nation. From everyday working mothers to women like civil rights icon rosa parks, and labor activist, doloresa werta. Our journey would not be possible without these great women and so many others who proudly took the seat at the table an front of the bus to chart the way for our nations progress. But while progress has been made in gender equality, we still have a lot more to do. When 2 3 of the minimum wage workers are women in this country, and nearly a third of families headed by a single female are living in poverty, instead of simply using womens History Month to highlight the contributions of Women Leaders, lets take this opportunity to examine the current challenges facing our mothers, sisters, our daughters and ensure that these women have workplace protections such as equal pay, affordable childcare, and medical leave. Our success as a nation hinges on the success of women because we know when women succeed, america succeeds. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. For what purpose does the entlelady from florida rise . Without objection, the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Roslehtinen thank you, mr. Speaker. It is with great pleasure that i recognize the hardworking Women Leaders who throughout the years have made instrumental contributions to the district i so humbly represent, and to our entire south florida community. In fact, on march 13, the Miamidade County commission for women, the Parks Foundation of miamidade, and the miamidade Parks Recreation and open Spaces Department will be hosting the in the company of women awards in celebration of wome