e-News 2/26/16

• “No Such Plans” to Transfer of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Cuba
• Accountability: Budget Oversight Continues
• Remembering Iwo Jima
• Read Across America
• The Education of a Congressman never ends
• Salute: Thank you to the Chatham Emergency Squad

“No Such Plans” to Transfer of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Cuba

The President of the United States this week sent to Congress his incomplete and ill-advised plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Because the House is not prepared to jeopardize our national security, we rejected the plan and reminded the President that only Congress can approval the closure of the detention facility.

But there’s a much larger issue at stake here. 

As my House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee began its examination of the President’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request this week, I succeeded in eliciting from the Secretary of Defense an assurance that the entire naval station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba will remain in U.S. hands.  There has been much speculation that the President will announce during his upcoming trip to Havana that he’s decided to transfer the base, a strategically important site in the Caribbean, to Cuba. 

So I led off our budget oversight hearing with Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Joe Dunford, with this question: ‘Can you assure us there's no plan for any change of our operations and historic role there?’ Secretary Carter responded that ‘I know of no such plans.’

On other important matters, I questioned the size and structure of the President’s proposed defense budget, saying  ‘The security environment used by the Department to justify a shrinking Army and Marine Corps, a smaller Navy, an older Air Force, does not exist! In fact, we face more serious threats from more sources than at any time since World War Two.’

‘Russia occupies Crimea and continues to menace Ukraine, its neighbors and our NATO partners. China is building whole islands in the South China Sea and militarizing them, yet this Administration suggests cutting an already-inadequate shipbuilding budget. Syria, is a living “hell on earth” and devolving even further by the day, with Russian and Iranian sponsorship – and we seem to be “deconflicting” our operations with both! ISIS has a major franchise in Libya, its base of operations in North Africa – 160 miles of Mediterrean coastline. Terrorism is like a cancer across the world, and this budget does not do enough to halt its spread.’ 

Overall, I am worried that ‘this budget mortgages future military capabilities to pay for today’s urgent requirements.’ 

You can read my opening statement for the hearing here.

You can watch the entire hearing here.

A sampler of coverage of the hearing:

“Dunford: Engagement Rules not threatening troops in Afghanistan” inStars and Stripes.

“Carter: No Guantanamo announcement during Obama's Cuba trip,” in the Bergen Record.

“Partner Forces Closing in on Raqaa and Mosul” on Military.com.

“GOP Appropriators Say DoD Budget Falls Short; Carter Stresses Balance, Stability” in Seapower magazine.

Accountability: Budget Oversight Continues

It was a busy week for the Appropriations Committee oversight agenda. In addition to my hearing examining the Defense budget, my Subcommittee also met with the Commander of European Command, NATO commander General Phillip Breedlove.  We focused on Russian aggression against Ukraine and our European allies and partners.

I also attended hearings where the Homeland Security Subcommittee heard from Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, of Montclair and the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee examined the Army Corps of Engineers budget proposal and asked questions about the Peckham River status and the Passaic River Mainstem project.

Remembering Iwo Jima

This week marked the 70^th Anniversary of the Marines Corps landing at Iwo Jima, a pivotal battle of World War II in the Pacific.  This week, Iwo Jima veteran Jack Gartenberg of Parsippany visited Picatinny Arsenal to meet with the Marines of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Corps Regiment where he related his personal experiences during the key battle.

Read about Jack Gartenberg’s experiences on Iwo Jima and the war in the Pacific here.

Read Across America

Next week is Read Across America! Now in its 19th year, this national program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources.

The Education of a Congressman never ends

As readers of this e-News know very well, I make it my mission to visit as many schools as possible to meet with as many students as possible. Read my column in the New Jersey Hills here.

Salute: Thank you to the Chatham Emergency Squad as it celebrates its 80^th anniversary of service to the Chathams.  Read the story here.