Congressman Hoyer believes that a Member of Congress’s highest duty is to keep America safe, strengthen our national security, and protect our homeland from attack. He is a leader in Congress on national security issues, has advocated for smarter and stronger policies to step up the fight against terrorist organizations that would do us harm, and remains unwavering in his commitment to the members of our armed services. He is also a strong supporter of investing in programs that adequately equip our first responders for response to potential domestic attacks and increase protections at our ports and borders.
Congressman Hoyer has been the lead advocate for Southern Maryland’s military installations at the federal level and was instrumental in the BRAC process in preserving 9,000 jobs at Patuxent River Naval Air Station while adding over 5,000 new jobs; protecting 3,000 jobs at Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center; and securing the future of Webster Field, St. Inigoes. Hoyer has worked closely with the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, the Indian Head Defense Alliance, the Patuxent Partnership, the Chambers of Commerce and local officials working to ensure that these three military installations are protected.
Congressman Hoyer is a strong advocate for our veterans, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that America’s veterans receive the respect, care, and benefits they earned through their service to our nation. While Congressman Hoyer has strongly supported historic increases in funding for the Veterans Administration, improving the quality and efficiency of care in our nation’s VA facilities, he is also a strong proponent of accountability in how the VA spends those resources.
Congressman Hoyer worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs Baltimore Regional Office on improving the claims process for Maryland veterans to ensure they receive their benefits in a timely manner and with fewer errors. He is also dedicated to eliminating homelessness among veterans. He worked to secure funding to assist nearly 200 veteran families who are homeless or at risk for homelessness in St. Mary's, Charles, and Calvert Counties. Additionally, he joined the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland and other stakeholders to ensure an accurate count of the homeless population in the Fifth District, which was critical to receiving additional housing vouchers for homeless veterans.
I thank the Gentlelady for yielding. I join her in thanking Mr. [John] Carter and Mr. [Hal] Rogers for bringing to the Floor in December a Homeland Security bill that was appropriate, that funded at the levels that were agreed upon by both parties.
Pax River is both a key component of our country's national security and a job-creator for the local economy in the Fifth District and Maryland, and I applaud all of the great work being done at Webster Field.
This means that over approximately 230,000 people, who we ask daily to work for the federal government on behalf of America's security and the safety of our people, will have the assurance for the next seven months that they will have a funding stream and the resources to allow them to protect our country.
Tonight I voted for a seven-day continuing resolution to keep the Department of Homeland Security open to allow time for the House to pass the Senate's full-year funding bill next week.
Mr. Speaker, we are approaching the eleventh hour, and the House has not yet been given the opportunity to vote on a bill that essentially was agreed to by the Republican Appropriations Committee – and reported to this Floor….
The dedicated employees of the Department of Homeland Security should not be penalized if the Department shuts down. From securing our nation's borders to guarding our airport checkpoints, we rely on these employees to keep America safe, and they should be compensated for the hard work they do every day.
I was honored to join my colleagues today from both sides of the aisle to mark the passage of this bipartisan bill, which I supported, that will help reduce suicides of our military and veteran heroes.
It was great to be at Marlin Steel today to see the work this company is doing, from making custom wire baskets to sheet metal fabrications, and to celebrate their expansion of their factory floor.