[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H531-H533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CIVILIAN PROPERTY REALIGNMENT ACT

  The SPEAKER. Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further 
consideration of the bill, (H.R. 1734) to decrease the deficit by 
realigning, consolidating, selling, disposing, and improving the 
efficiency of federal buildings and other civilian real property, and 
for other purposes, will now resume.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
  Mr. MICHAUD. I am in its current form.
  The SPEAKER. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Michaud moves to recommit the bill H.R. 1734 to the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with 
     instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith 
     with the following amendments:
       Page 4, after line 21, insert the following:
       (x) Properties owned by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     or other properties used in connection with providing 
     services for veterans, including hospitals, clinics, and 
     facilities that provide job training, post traumatic stress 
     disorder treatment, housing assistance, homeless services, 
     and rehabilitative care.

  The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Maine is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I am hoping today we will see a rare 
bipartisan moment here in the House when both sides can come together 
in support of our veterans.
  The final amendment I'm offering here today will exempt certain VA 
facilities from the decommissioning process outlined in the legislation 
today. It will not kill this bill or even delay its passage. If it's 
adopted, my amendment will incorporate into the bill and the bill will 
be immediately voted upon.
  I agree with my friends across the aisle that we need to address 
government waste, especially in this fiscal environment. I can 
understand why it makes sense to target the poor management and 
underutilization of government properties to reduce government waste, 
but I don't think our desire to address these issues should come at the 
expense of our veterans.
  The underlying bill already includes plenty of exemptions to the CPRA 
process, namely for bases, camps, or stations under jurisdiction of 
DOD. It seems to me that if the bill already excludes buildings from 
the consolidation process because our troops rely on them, we should 
also exclude the buildings for our veterans because they rely on those 
buildings also.
  As ranking member of the VA Health Subcommittee, I've heard testimony 
after testimony from veterans about the difficulties they face in 
accessing all the VA health services they need. The VA already provides 
health care to approximately 7.8 million veterans. As the wars in Iraq 
and Afghanistan wind down, more and more of the 2.3 million soldiers 
from those wars will start to seek care from the Veterans 
Administration.
  DOD says that nearly 45,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have 
been wounded in action. Even this high number grossly underestimates 
the number of wounded soldiers who rely on the VA system for health 
care because of unseen wounds like PTSD, TBI, etc. We can't consider 
shutting down VA facilities when the need to help our heroes is 
increasing.
  In addition to health care needs, these soldiers will need help 
finding jobs. The veterans unemployment rate was more than 15 percent 
in January of 2011. It's great news that it fell 6 percent over the 
last year, but at 9 percent, it's still above the national average. 
That is why we have to ensure that the VA's ability to provide career

[[Page H532]]

services to returning soldiers isn't undermined.
  We don't know exactly when, where, or how these veterans will try to 
access the system, or whether they will be able to access PTSD 
treatment or to find a job, but we should not jeopardize their ability 
to do so by subjecting the VA to the same consolidation process as 
other Federal agencies. If this bill exempts DOD facilities, it should 
also exempt VA facilities.
  Even GAO, whose analysis was used to justify this underlying 
legislation, cites the unique needs of the VA given the increasing 
demands that our returning troops will put on the system. As a result 
of an aging veteran population and a growing number of younger veterans 
returning from the military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, GAO 
found that, ``budgeting for the VA's vital health care mission is 
inherently complex. It is based on current assumptions and imperfect 
information, not only about program needs, but also on future economic 
and policy actions that may affect demand and the cost of providing 
these services.'' This means that a one-size-fits-all approach for 
consolidation of government property does not work for the VA.
  There are a couple of other reasons why the VA should be exempt from 
this bill. First, the VA has already recognized that it needs to 
upgrade, modernize, and realign its property portfolio to provide 
accessible and cost-effective services. In fact, they've been working 
on that since 1999. In 2008, GAO said the Department has reduced its 
underutilized space over 4 years by nearly two-thirds.

                              {time}  1410

  Second, GAO has found that 66 percent of VA's underutilized and 
vacant buildings are historic properties or eligible for historic 
designation and require more effort for disposal.
  I applaud the other side for looking for ways to cut government 
spending; and there are, clearly, improvements to be made in the area 
of Federal properties. But we can't pursue the goal of reducing 
government spending at the expense of our veterans.
  In Congress, we frequently mention how grateful we are for our 
troops, and we often talk about the need to make sure that no veteran 
is left behind. Well, I'm offering the final amendment on this bill to 
make sure that we leave no veteran behind.
  On behalf of our heroes, they deserve our commitment. I urge my 
colleagues to support the final amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Miller of Michigan). The gentleman from 
California is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, first of all, the President's Commission, 
in his BRAC, includes VA properties. As well, former VA Secretary 
Anthony Principi testified in front of our committee that we ought to 
be looking at all properties, including VA.
  If we're going to do the best interest of American taxpayers, we've 
got to address waste in government overall, across the entire Nation, 
across every agency. If there's a property not being used today, then 
we ought to look at either redeveloping it or selling it off. And this 
gives us an opportunity to have Republicans and Democrats come together 
on something that the President included in his jobs bill to actually 
create American jobs.
  The Old Post Office right here in Washington, DC is the perfect 
example of waste in government. We've had a property sitting well over 
a decade that costs us $6.5 million in upkeep every single year. Now 
we've got redevelopment happening, where we've got different hotel 
companies coming in and not only bidding on it, creating 150 new jobs 
in construction, but an additional 150 jobs in ongoing jobs once the 
facility is redone; keeping it in its historic fashion and actually 
being able to utilize it once again; an opportunity to redevelop things 
that aren't being used today, but also selling off things that have 
been sitting for decades.
  Our Federal Government has a horrible track record of selling 
properties that aren't being used. In fact, we've sold 82 properties in 
the last 25 years. We can do much better, and the American taxpayers 
demand that we do much better.
  Here's a bipartisan opportunity to get both parties to come together 
and just sell things that we don't need. If you want to bring in 
revenue to reduce our debt, here's an opportunity to get rid of the 
things we don't need, redevelop the things that aren't being used, and 
get rid of the waste in government. Almost $2 billion we waste every 
year just in maintaining properties that, again, aren't needed in 
government.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 and clause 9 of rule 
XX, this 15-minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by 
5-minute votes on passage of H.R. 1734, if ordered, and adoption of 
House Resolution 539.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 186, 
noes 238, not voting 9, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 37]

                               AYES--186

     Ackerman
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Baca
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bass (CA)
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Boren
     Boswell
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (FL)
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Castor (FL)
     Chandler
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke (MI)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly (VA)
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Critz
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     Deutch
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly (IN)
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Frank (MA)
     Fudge
     Garamendi
     Gonzalez
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Heinrich
     Higgins
     Himes
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hochul
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson Lee (TX)
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kildee
     Kind
     Kissell
     Kucinich
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lujan
     Lynch
     Maloney
     Markey
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     Meeks
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Murphy (CT)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Olver
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree (ME)
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Richardson
     Richmond
     Ross (AR)
     Rothman (NJ)
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrader
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Stark
     Sutton
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Tonko
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Woolsey
     Yarmuth

                               NOES--238

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Amash
     Amodei
     Austria
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barletta
     Bartlett
     Barton (TX)
     Bass (NH)
     Benishek
     Berg
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Brooks
     Broun (GA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Buerkle
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canseco
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coble
     Coffman (CO)
     Cole
     Conaway
     Cravaack
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Denham
     Dent
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dold
     Dreier
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Emerson
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Flake
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grimm
     Guinta
     Guthrie

[[Page H533]]


     Hall
     Hanna
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Heck
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herrera Beutler
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Issa
     Jenkins
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Kelly
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kline
     Labrador
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Landry
     Lankford
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     Lewis (CA)
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Marino
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McCotter
     McHenry
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meehan
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Pence
     Petri
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe (TX)
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Quayle
     Reed
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rigell
     Rivera
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross (FL)
     Royce
     Runyan
     Ryan (WI)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Scalise
     Schilling
     Schmidt
     Schock
     Schweikert
     Scott (SC)
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Southerland
     Stearns
     Stivers
     Stutzman
     Sullivan
     Terry
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Turner (NY)
     Turner (OH)
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walsh (IL)
     Webster
     West
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Yoder
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Carnahan
     Ellison
     Hurt
     McNerney
     Neal
     Paul
     Payne
     Sires
     Woodall

                              {time}  1433

  Messrs. CRAWFORD and SMITH of New Jersey changed their vote from 
``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the motion to recommit was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  Stated against:
  Mr. HURT. Madam Speaker, I was not present for rollcall vote No. 37, 
on the motion to recommit with instructions on H.R. 1734, the Civilian 
Property Realignment Act. Had I been present, I would have voted 
``no.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 259, 
noes 164, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 38]

                               AYES--259

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Amash
     Amodei
     Austria
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barletta
     Barrow
     Bartlett
     Barton (TX)
     Bass (NH)
     Benishek
     Berg
     Berkley
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boren
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Brooks
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Buerkle
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canseco
     Cantor
     Capito
     Cardoza
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coble
     Coffman (CO)
     Cole
     Conaway
     Cooper
     Costa
     Cravaack
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Denham
     Dent
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dold
     Donnelly (IN)
     Dreier
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Emerson
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Flake
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grimm
     Guinta
     Guthrie
     Hall
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Heck
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herrera Beutler
     Himes
     Hochul
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurt
     Issa
     Jenkins
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Jordan
     Kelly
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kissell
     Kline
     Labrador
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Landry
     Lankford
     Larsen (WA)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     Lewis (CA)
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Maloney
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Marino
     Matheson
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McCotter
     McHenry
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meehan
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     Olson
     Owens
     Palazzo
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Petri
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe (TX)
     Polis
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Quayle
     Reed
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rigell
     Rivera
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross (AR)
     Ross (FL)
     Royce
     Runyan
     Ryan (WI)
     Scalise
     Schilling
     Schmidt
     Schock
     Schrader
     Schweikert
     Scott (SC)
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Southerland
     Stearns
     Stivers
     Stutzman
     Sullivan
     Terry
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Turner (NY)
     Turner (OH)
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walsh (IL)
     Webster
     West
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                               NOES--164

     Ackerman
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Baca
     Baldwin
     Becerra
     Berman
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Boswell
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (FL)
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Castor (FL)
     Chandler
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke (MI)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly (VA)
     Conyers
     Costello
     Courtney
     Critz
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     Deutch
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Frank (MA)
     Fudge
     Garamendi
     Gonzalez
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Heinrich
     Higgins
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Inslee
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson Lee (TX)
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kildee
     Kind
     Kucinich
     Langevin
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lujan
     Lynch
     Markey
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     Meeks
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Murphy (CT)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Olver
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Pelosi
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree (ME)
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Richardson
     Richmond
     Rothman (NJ)
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Shuler
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Stark
     Sutton
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Tonko
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Woolsey
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Bass (CA)
     Carnahan
     Ellison
     Hanna
     Hirono
     McNerney
     Neal
     Paul
     Payne
     Sires


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). There is 1 minute 
remaining.

                              {time}  1440

  Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________