[House Prints, 113th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] COMMITTEE PRINT 113th Congress No. 3 A Ceremony Unveiling the Portrait of THE HONORABLE HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON A Representative in Congress from the Twenty-fifth District of California January 3, 1993-January 6, 2015 Elected to One Hundred Third Congress and Succeeding Congresses Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, 2011-2014 [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] PROCEEDINGS before the COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES U.S. House of Representatives September 18, 2014 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 2015 90-992 _______________________________________________________________________ For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office, http://bookstore.gpo.gov. For more information, contact the GPO Customer Contact Center, U.S. Government Publishing Office. Phone 202-512-1800, or 866-512-1800 (toll-free). E-mail, [email protected]. _______________________________________________________________________ A Ceremony Unveiling the Portrait of THE HONORABLE HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES U.S. House of Representatives Thursday, September 18, 2014 _______________________________________________________________________ [ iii ] [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] THE PORTRAIT The portrait of Chairman McKeon was rendered by artist Bradley Stevens in oil on linen canvas. It measures 54 inches high by 38 inches wide and is presented in a gold leaf frame. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH U.S. Representative Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon is a champion of strong national defense, easing the national debt, providing tax relief to families and small businesses, protecting seniors' rights, and improving education. McKeon was selected by his peers to serve as chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services in the 112th Congress, and again for the 113th Congress. He was first named ranking member of the committee in June 2009. His priorities for the committee include: ensuring that our troops deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world have the equipment, resources, authorities, training, and time they need to successfully complete their missions and return home; building upon the Armed Services Committee's strong bipartisan tradition of providing our warfighters and their families with the resources and support they need; and investing in the capabilities and force structure needed to protect the United States from tomorrow's threats, while mandating fiscal responsibility, accountability, and transparency from the Department of Defense. As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, McKeon is fighting to strengthen our military and invest in a force postured to meet the challenges of the 21st century, while working to provide the necessary resources for America's sons and daughters in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has also led efforts to keep terrorist detainees off of U.S. soil, boost funding for missile defense, and restore the tradition of passing defense authorization bills devoid of controversial social items. Additionally, McKeon has worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between industry and military leaders in order to ensure that our warfighters on the ground continue to receive the support they need and deserve. McKeon has regularly worked to bolster missile defense programs, support funding for the F-22, and provide enhancements to effective, lighter-weight body armor and mine-resistant vehicles. He has supported veteran resource programs for counseling, vocational training, and college education. From his very first term in Congress, McKeon stood as a leader for our most vital weapons systems, leading the fight to increase the Air Force's number of B-2s. Prior to serving as the lead Republican on the House Committee on Armed Services, McKeon was the top Republican on the Education and the Workforce Committee for close to 3 years, where he advanced conservative policies supporting school choice, teacher quality and accountability, and higher education access and affordability. In early 2006, McKeon ran the committee as chairman, replacing Representative John Boehner (R-OH), who stepped down after becoming House Majority Leader. Prior to leading the full committee, McKeon headed the House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, which held jurisdiction over issues such as higher education, technology in education, teacher training, job training, and welfare reform. In this role, McKeon helped negotiate the formula that resulted in interest rates for the Federal student loan program dropping to their lowest level in 38 years. McKeon still serves as a senior member of the Education and the Workforce Committee. His leadership in cutting Federal spending and reducing taxes also has been noted by several national organizations, including the National Taxpayers Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In addition to his official committees, McKeon is also co-chairman of the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus. As founder of the caucus, McKeon is helping to educate Members of Congress and the public on the strategic, tactical, and scientific value of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). McKeon actively supports further development of UAS and hopes to more effectively engage the civilian aviation community on UAS use and safety. McKeon was born September 9, 1938, in Los Angeles. He grew up in Tujunga, California, and graduated from Verdugo Hills High School in 1956. McKeon went on to attend Brigham Young University for 2 years, at which time he chose to put his studies on hold to serve a 2\1/2\-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After returning from his mission, McKeon took a hiatus from his studies. During this time, he married his wife, Patricia, started a family, and began his career as a businessman in the Santa Clarita Valley, located in the northern part of Los Angeles County. He was soon involved in his community through such organizations as the Boy Scouts, Little League, the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and serving as founding chairman of the Valencia National Bank. It was three decades later that McKeon returned to college and earned his bachelor's degree in 1985, together with his eldest daughter. It is for this reason that McKeon is often praised by adult literacy groups. Later, in 2002, he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Strayer University. Before coming to Congress in 1993, McKeon served on the William S. Hart Union High School District Board of Trustees from 1978 to 1987. During that time, the city of Santa Clarita was incorporated and its citizens selected McKeon as a member of the City Council. It was during the council's first meeting that its members selected McKeon as Santa Clarita's first mayor. During his tenure on the City Council, Santa Clarita expanded its parks and safety programs, increased the size of the police force, and earned a reputation as one of the safest cities in America. The McKeons have 6 children, 30 living grandchildren, and one great grandchild. They live in Santa Clarita, California. THE ARTIST Bradley Stevens Raised in Westport, Connecticut, Bradley Stevens came to Washington, DC, to attend George Washington University, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Masters of Fine Arts. In addition to his art studies, Stevens spent 5 years copying several hundred Old Master paintings at the National Gallery of Art. He taught drawing and portrait painting as an adjunct professor at his alma mater and Georgetown University for 18 years. In his career of over 30 years, Stevens has forged a reputation as one of America's leading realist painters. His style is contemporary realism--rooted in classical training, yet boldly depicting the modern world with his penetrating eye. Stevens is unique among his contemporaries for his exceptional achievements in three domains of representational art: portraiture, landscapes, and figurative cityscapes. He frequently works on commission and many of these are large-scale paintings for public and corporate spaces. Stevens has painted the portraits of luminaries and leaders in the fields of education, business, medicine, law, science, philanthropy, and politics. His stellar list of patrons includes Governor Mark Warner of Virginia; Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. (National Portrait Gallery collection); the family of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV; Glenn L. Martin, co-founder of Martin Marietta; C. Michael Armstrong, chairman of Johns Hopkins Hospital; Senator Jennings Randolph of West Virginia; and Bruce Wasserstein, chairman and CEO of Lazard. Stevens was commissioned by the U.S. Senate to paint an original historical mural commemorating the Connecticut Compromise of 1787 for the Senate Reception Room in the Capitol. Stevens has reproduced historical portraits for the White House, U.S. Department of State, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Embassy in Paris, National Portrait Gallery, and Monticello. In 2002, the Smithsonian Institution commissioned him to reproduce Gilbert Stuart's Lansdowne portrait of George Washington for the museum in Mount Vernon. Stevens' landscapes and figurative cityscapes are found in the collections of America's preeminent corporations, associations, and professional firms, including AARP; Carr America; CSX; Cushman & Wakefield; Fannie Mae; Gannett; Holland & Knight; McGuire Woods Battle & Boothe LLP; Verizon; Wheat First Butcher & Singer; Williams & Connolly LLP; and Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP. By invitation of the U.S. Department of State, Stevens is a participant in the Art in Embassies Program, which places the work of renowned American artists in their embassies around the world. Stevens and his artist wife live and work in their home in the Virginia countryside, near Washington, DC. He is represented by galleries in Washington, DC; Charlottesville; New York; and Boston. SPECIAL APPRECIATION Airbus Group, Inc. Association of Private Sector Colleges & Universities AT&T Services, Inc. BAE Systems Emergent BioSolutions GE Aviation General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. General Dynamics Honeywell Lockheed Martin Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation Oshkosh Defense Raytheon Rolls-Royce North America Science Applications International Corporation SpaceX The Boeing Company A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Ms. Harmony Allen Ms. Sid Ashworth Mr. Bob Cochran Mr. Larry Duncan Mr. Mat Dunn Dr. Mark Esper Mr. Ed Fortunato Mr. Guy Hicks Ms. Lesley Kalan Mr. Jay Killeen Mr. Jay Kimmitt Mr. Tim McGivern Mr. and Mrs. William Nixon The Honorable Ed Pease The Honorable Jon Porter Mr. Peter Prowitt Mr. Doug Ritter Mr. Bart Roper Ms. Nicole Sarouphim Mr. Alan Tennille Mr. Mark Valente III Mr. Mike Waclawski Ms. Candace Wagner Mr. Greg Walters CHAIRMAN, PORTRAIT COMMITTEE Mr. Robert A. Cochran, Chief of Staff, 1993-2012 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Mr. Bradley Stevens, Artist Ms. Farar Elliott, House Curator Mr. Paul McGuire, U.S. Capitol Historical Society P R O G R A M 2168 Rayburn House Office Building, 6:00 P.M., September 18, 2014 Master of Ceremonies: Mr. Robert L. Simmons II Republican Staff Director, House Committee on Armed Services, 2005-Present Invocation: Mr. William Nixon Remarks: The Honorable John Boehner Speaker of the House The Honorable Kevin McCarthy House Majority Leader The Honorable Mac Thornberry Vice Chairman, House Committee on Armed Services The Honorable Chuck Hagel Secretary of Defense Mr. Robert Cochran Chief of Staff, 1993-2012 Mr. Robert L. Simmons II Introduction of the Artist: Mr. Bradley Stevens Unveiling of the Portrait: Mrs. Patricia McKeon Remarks: The Honorable Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Unveiling Ceremony of Portrait of THE HONORABLE HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON Thursday, September 18, 2014 U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC. Mr. Simmons. Welcome. And thank you all for coming. Speaker Boehner, Leader McCarthy, Vice Chairman Thornberry, Armed Services Committee members, Members of Congress, we are honored to have you all here tonight. We would also like to recognize members of Chairman McKeon's family who are with us. Sir, I would take the time to introduce them all, but I think we would be here all night. I would also like to recognize the other part of Chairman McKeon's family, the HASC [House Armed Services Committee] and personal staff who have stuck with you all these many years, sir, and are proud to call you boss. There is an old line that you can tell a man's character by how many people show up for his boot roundup. Well, this isn't quite a boot roundup, and I am sorry to say, there are no free cowboy boots tonight. But in a way it is a form of a goodbye. This is our last day of session before the election and the last day before the lame duck. And looking into this crowded room, it is an honest testament to the high esteem that we all have for our chairman. At this time, I would like to introduce the chairman's longtime friend and a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mr. Bill Nixon, for his invocation. INVOCATION BY MR. WILLIAM NIXON Mr. Nixon. Our Father who art in Heaven, as we bow our heads in gratitude before thee on this beautiful day, we are mindful of the blessings that you have given us to live in this great Nation, this land of the free, this land of opportunity and hope. We are grateful for the leadership that you have given us, for the doctrines, for the guidance, the opportunities we have to excel here. We are grateful for those who have sacrificed so much for this great Nation, for those who continue to sacrifice in harm's way and distant lands. Be with and strengthen them. Let them be mindful of the fact that we as a Nation stand behind them, that we love them, that we appreciate their sacrifice. We are mindful of our leaders and ask that thy might bless them, strengthen them, give them the resolve they need to guide and direct the affairs of state, to be more than just those who pass laws but those who are the moral ideal of what we can become. Please bless us as a people that we will focus on strengthening ourselves and self-reliance, that we will work hard seeking to give more than we take, that we will be mindful of those who are less fortunate but always be about strengthening and building upon the blessings we have received. We are grateful for all of these things and mindful at this time as we celebrate the life of a man who has given so much in the service of the country, Chairman Howard ``Buck'' McKeon. Be with his family, particularly in this transition of their lives, that thy spirit might be with them, that thy might be mindful of their future endeavors and that, in all things, this great and noble man will remain in the fight. And we say these things, in the name of thy son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Mr. Simmons. Thank you, Bill. We appreciate that. And now it is actually a great personal honor to be able to introduce the next person's remarks, the Speaker of the House, Speaker Boehner. [Applause.] REMARKS OF HON. JOHN BOEHNER Speaker of the House Speaker Boehner. Well, let me just welcome all of you, and thank you for being here for Buck. For those of you in the back room making all that noise, as Elizabeth Taylor told her fifth husband, Don't worry, honey, I won't be here long. [Laughter.] Speaker Boehner. It is my honor as the Speaker of the House to accept this portrait into the House collection. That is one of those official things we have to say. But I am here tonight because Buck is my friend. And Buck came here 22 years ago and we were on the Education and the Workforce Committee together in the minority, having fun with George Miller---- [Laughter.] Speaker Boehner. God bless you, George. But most of you don't know that George and I actually have a great relationship, as he does with Buck. But, you know, everybody gets to know Buck because he is such a nice guy. And around here, we get some nice guys, and then we have some others. [Laughter.] Speaker Boehner. But Buck would work hard. He would work with both sides of the aisle, never play games with anybody. And, in 2004 or 2005, I don't know, somewhere around there, Buck and some other Members had decided that we were going to have a group to help me become the majority leader at some point. And so I knew why Buck was in the room, because I was the chairman of the committee, and if I got elected majority leader---- [Laughter.] Speaker Boehner. But you all know Buck, you know, he is much more pure of heart than that. But Buck did take my place as chairman of the committee. While I was on the committee and I was chairman, Buck was my right-hand guy. And so it was not a hard decision as to who was going to be my replacement. And then it wasn't that much longer after that, that the chairmanship over at the Armed Services Committee came up. And Buck really wanted to do this. And, frankly, it was some stiff competition. And but, you know, Buck is my friend, simple as that. I get to go to a lot of these retirement parties; staff, Members, they are leaving. And, you know, you hate to see people go, but it is part of what happens around here. And I will just say this: You know, we have got important jobs. We get to put our fingerprints on the course of history. Whether we are staff or Members, we get to play a role. But when you step back and think about the most rewarding part of what we do as Members, it is that we get to meet people that we would have never met, other than the fact that we have been elected to Congress. People in our own districts. In my case, I travel all over the country, meet people all over the country. But you get to meet and work with people right here on both sides of the aisle. And the friendships and the relationships that you develop, they are endless. But they are meaningful, and frankly, it is the most meaningful part of this. Buck--now, you all know me, I am holding it together. [Laughter.] Speaker Boehner. You all know. You are my friend. You are my buddy. Congratulations. [Applause.] Mr. Simmons. It is my pleasure now to introduce Majority Leader McCarthy. [Applause.] REMARKS OF HON. KEVIN McCARTHY House Majority Leader Mr. McCarthy. Thank you very much. And I, too, will be brief. I know we have got votes. You would think I could control that. [Laughter.] Mr. McCarthy. You know what is most interesting here, I walked precincts with Buck McKeon to win his first congressional race. He was just down the way, and he was the district over from me, and I was just a volunteer. But I watched a guy that was a small business owner. If you could ever imagine, in southern California, they decided to put a city together. They created a city late in life, and who did they put there, Buck McKeon. This was a guy that understood how to put something together with thousands of people starting out--infrastructure and all. This race was a close race. It wasn't decided until a number of days afterwards. I walked those precincts because I knew that was the type of man that we wanted to go to Washington, one that not only knew small business and also government, he was a man of faith, a man that understood what he believed, and it propelled throughout his family as well. Well, I never thought I would ever get to serve with him, but when I decided to run, he was the first person to call me and say, I will be there. And lots of times we serve with Members that have adjoining districts, and most of the time, they don't like each other. You all know---- [Laughter.] Mr. McCarthy. We do all of our meetings together. And it has been a great honor because he has been a great mentor. Now, we have a big privilege to become Members of Congress. But how few Members of Congress are going to be able to say they were chairman of two committees? Think about that. Chosen by his peers and by his leadership. That is a great testament to this man. And then when you think about what he has worked on, his true passion has always been about the common defense of his country. But, just yesterday, it was his amendment that was passed that he worked with the Administration. And he doesn't sit back and say, I will just take whatever you ask for. He said, you know what? We do need to move forward and we do need to train, but I think there needs to be greater accountability. So he wrote an amendment that was a little different, that took both sides. And his last amendment was one of the most bipartisan votes on the floor, but also, that last amendment that he passed not only protects America but will change the direction of this world. That is the type of man you all are getting. So I just thank you for making me be a small part, and I never dreamed walking those precincts that I would be able to be here today and say thank you for all the work you have done. I do want to thank Patricia and all the six kids and I don't know how many grandkids. [Laughter.] Mrs. McKeon. Thirty. That would be 30, Kevin. Mr. McCarthy. Every Christmas, that is the card we wait for. [Applause.] Mr. Simmons. Now, our next guest is somebody that on the HASC staff we know real well and have had the privilege to work with, the vice chairman of the committee, Mac Thornberry. [Applause.] REMARKS OF HON. MAC THORNBERRY Vice Chairman, House Committee on Armed Services Mr. Thornberry. Well, I think I can speak on this occasion for all members of the Armed Services Committee on both sides of the aisle when I say that we very much appreciate the fairness, the respectfulness, and the good humor with which Buck has always chaired our committee. I haven't seen the picture yet, but I hope it has a big smile on his face because he always has a big smile on his face. [Laughter.] Mr. Thornberry. However intense the debate and however emotional people get, he always has that even temper, that big smile. That is exactly the way any good chairman should be. He has also always been interested in members and staff, and I think the compassion he showed as we have lost two key members of the staff, pretty close together here, has really been remarkable. And talking about the family, I got to tell you all, you can't have a conversation with Buck that lasts more than 3 or 4 minutes before he starts talking about a child, a grandchild, or Patricia. If you have 30 grandchildren---- [Laughter.] Mr. Thornberry. But it is really clear that family is at the center of his life and also that family is a big part of what motivates him in the job he does every day to protect the country. That really comes through. And I know you all are proud of that. Circumstances have meant that Buck has had to chair this committee during difficult budget times and also in a very volatile environment. But he has always, as you all well know, forcefully spoken up for the men and women who serve our country and also for a strong national defense, and that is a pretty impressive legacy for any of us to leave. Last thing I want to say is this: I just had the opportunity to shake hands with President Reagan a couple of times. I didn't know him, but you know, the way I knew him was through the media, like all of us. But I will tell you, and I have never told Buck this, there had been a number of occasions when he will say something, and what he says or the way he says it, I see Ronald Reagan. And I think it is more than just being California. [Laughter.] Mr. Thornberry. I think it is more than just, you know, the strong national defense. I think there is a basic, deep decency, a deep- seated love of this country that comes through a lot of times when he talks. And so, to me, that is really the essence of Buck McKeon. And so every time in the future those of us on Armed Services Committee look up and see this picture, that is what we are going to think about. [Applause.] Mr. Simmons. And now it is, again, my great pleasure to introduce somebody that the chairman and the Armed Services Committee work very closely with, great pleasure to introduce our Secretary of Defense, Secretary Chuck Hagel. [Applause.] REMARKS OF HON. CHUCK HAGEL Secretary of Defense Secretary Hagel. Thank you. Buck, I think Mac just announced your candidacy for President. [Laughter.] Secretary Hagel. I am privileged to be part of that. President Obama will be glad he is retiring. [Laughter.] Secretary Hagel. I came to see the pretty new picture, really. Well, first, I am particularly pleased that you let me in. A former United States Senator, I know, has no credibility over here. [Laughter.] Secretary Hagel. In fact, as Secretary of Defense, I know I have very little credibility. But you let me in anyway, and I am glad you did because the words that have been spoken here tonight by the Speaker, the majority leader, vice chairman of the committee, ring so true and everybody in this room knows it. In all my years of different jobs and the privilege I have had to work in different capacities in public service, it is rare to have an opportunity to work with someone like Buck McKeon. The words that have been used: fair, always mindful of others, whether that is personal relationships, professional relationships. He has strong opinions and feelings, as he should. I think that is an obligation and a responsibility for all elected Members to let people know where they stand. But he has always allowed everyone their time to make their case, and he has done it in a way that we would all benefit from in this town if we would take a little more of the Buck McKeon school of personal conduct and take a little bit of his decency and apply that to everything we do in our professional lives. I will miss you, Buck, personally. I can tell you the Department of Defense and the men and women all over this country who serve our Nation with such distinction and selflessness will miss you greatly, which you have represented, how you have led and the courage you have shown and always sticking up for our military all over the world has not gone unnoticed. I know, though, that like the responsibility of any great leader, you build a team behind you. And I know that Mac and others in this room on the Armed Services Committee will follow in your wake and that may be the most significant contribution you will have made in your public service, is building a team, a team that not only can follow your leadership but you have represented a certain model and a standard that you have given everyone, all of us, which we will always be grateful for. So, Patricia, to your family, to the thousands and thousands of McKeons all over---- [Laughter.] Secretary Hagel. I know how proud you all are of your father, your grandfather, I don't know great grandfather yet. But I know, Patricia, what you have meant to Buck and to your family and how you have given him such support and courage and love over these years, and he knows it more and better and deeper than anyone. Thank you for the privilege to be here tonight to participate in honoring Buck McKeon. [Applause.] Mr. Simmons. Thank you. Now I would like to ask Mr. McKeon's former chief of staff and long- time friend, Bob Cochran, please come forward. [Applause.] REMARKS OF ROBERT COCHRAN Chief of Staff, 1993-2012 Mr. Cochran. You know, it is amazing. I stand before here and I look at all your kids and I know what an inspiration they are and how family plays such an important role. And as was said before, and certainly, Patricia, you are Buck's inspiration. You are the one that energizes him, each and every day, and that is something that I got to see as his former chief of staff for 20 years, day in and day out. You know, I can't say enough about what Buck means to myself, but also I speak on behalf of the staff. I know Bob, in terms of the professional staff on the Armed Services Committee, but also the personal staff and the many people that you have influenced and you have affected in such a positive way. Your leadership, your guidance; you are not only a boss but you are a mentor, and that was the thing that you always set out from day one. I can remember in that first term when you had this book ``I Can,'' and you sat down chapter by chapter and you went through it, and what you were trying to achieve is you were trying to make all of us raise the bar to become more active and more engaged. And, for that, I thank you personally in terms of what you provided me all those years as chief of staff. I just can't say enough. An honorable man, a man of integrity, the smile on your face. Now, I will get a smile out of these kids when I say, now, sometimes I walked into the room and there was this straight face. You could always tell the body language. But you knew, Bob, I need to talk to you. And that serious tone. But I will tell you what, the things that we got to experience from your presidency of freshman class, from the time that you were chairman of the Higher Ed Subcommittee, to the full committee chair on Education and the Workforce Committee, to the ranking member and then chairman of the Armed Services Committee, it has been a great ride and I know you have enjoyed it. And this is a very distinguished event with a lot of distinguished guests to be a part of this. So I am just very honored and privileged that I could be here and serve a part of this. I would also like to just say, thank you for the financial support from the donors that helped the Capitol Historical Society to make this event possible. We just thank you for that. So, with that, Buck, my friend, we appreciate everything that you have done, and you have really made a mark on this institution. Thank you. [Applause.] REMARKS OF ROBERT L. SIMMONS II Republican Staff Director, House Committee on Armed Services, 2005- Present Mr. Simmons. Now I get to talk from the inside looking at Chairman McKeon. You know, we will long remember the accomplishments of Chairman McKeon, as Mac Thornberry said, in this tough time. I mean, you are tireless in leading the fight. Now, I never, ever, ever heard the chairman ask me, what is the politically correct or the political environment going to allow us to do? It was always, what is the right thing to do? And we never got down to letting politics get in the way of the possible courses of action. And, for that, I will tell you the HASC staff will be forever in your debt for that leadership. But, you know, it is not really the measure of the man, really, at looking only at his accomplishments, because it is really why those things happen. And for my years here, being blessed to be able to serve on the Armed Services Committee and looking at other things I have done in my life, it is important to look at what you really are. And you and I have had some of these discussions, and it is the measure of a man in leadership is really what he does to create an environment of success for others. And, sir, that is actually what you have done. You have made it possible for so many Members and staff to be able to work for you and accomplish things that only come from servant leadership. And this is one guy that, no matter what, in any circumstance, it was always others before self. Always. And that is what opened up this committee to be able to accomplish so much. And we have talked about the Boy Scouts and everything else, and, sir, you are the epitome of what we all hope to be, and the HASC staff is greatly honored to have been able to work these years with you. It has been a great, great personal pleasure and ride. For that, we are all very thankful. Thank you. [Applause.] INTRODUCTION OF THE ARTIST Mr. Simmons. Now I would like to talk about and introduce our artist for the portrait. Mr. Bradley Stevens was raised in Westport, Connecticut. Came to Washington, DC, to study at George Washington University, where he earned his bachelor of fine arts and master of fine arts. In addition to his art study, Stevens spent 5 years copying several hundred Old Master paintings at the National Gallery of Art. He taught drawing and portrait painting as an adjunct professor at his alma mater and Georgetown University for 18 years. In his career of over 30 years, he has forged a reputation of one of America's leading realist painters. His style is contemporary realism rooted in classical training, yet boldly depicting the modern world with his penetrating eye. Stevens is unique among his contemporaries for his exceptional achievements in three domains of representational art: portraiture, landscapes, and figurative cityscapes. He frequently works on commission, and many of these large-scale paintings are for public and corporate spaces. Stevens has painted the portraits of luminaries and leaders in the fields of education, business, medicine, law, science, philanthropy, and politics. This stellar list of patrons includes Governor Mark Warner of Virginia; Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., in the National Portrait Gallery collection; the family of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV; Glenn L. Martin, the cofounder of Martin Marietta; C. Michael Armstrong, chairman of Johns Hopkins Hospital; Senator Jennings Randolph of West Virginia; and Bruce Wasserstein, chairman and CEO of Lazard. Stevens was commissioned by the United States Senate to paint an original historical mural commemorating the Connecticut Compromise of 1787 for the Senate Reception Room in the Capitol. Stevens has reproduced historical portraits for the White House, U.S. Department of State, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Embassy in Paris, the National Portrait Gallery, and at Monticello. By invitation of the U.S. Department of State, Stevens is a participant in the Art Embassy Program, which places the work of the renowned American artists in their embassies all around the world. Stevens and his wife, who was also an artist, live here and work in their home in the Virginia countryside near Washington, DC. He is represented by galleries in Washington, DC; Charlottesville; New York; and Boston. And we thank you very much and we look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor. At this time, I would like to invite Mrs. McKeon to please do the honors. [Whereupon, the portrait was unveiled.] [Applause.] Mr. Simmons. It is now my pleasure to introduce our chairman, Chairman Buck McKeon. [Applause.] REMARKS OF HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON Mr. McKeon. Secretary, thank you for being here. That was a big surprise. Can you hear me? Do you want to? [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. Well, I think I already told the Secretary that I feel like this is my funeral. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. I would like to ask all of you to show up there, say the same thing, and we will just be done with it. It is hard to improve on that. I have got a whole lot of stuff prepared right there, and you know that the thing that has kind of been with me all day today is, 77 years ago today my mom and dad got married, and a year later, I joined the family, and then four more brothers joined. And, you know, I did a fantastic job of selecting parents. And then, the decision I probably have a little more to do with, I selected the best woman in the world as my wife. [Applause.] Mr. McKeon. I didn't get this from Boehner. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. I was born with it. I passed it on to my kids, but I am going to try to just get through this. I have been so blessed in my life, and this--to come here to see such great, wonderful people that I have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with and work with and learn from and benefit from--is a culmination. Years ago, when I was a missionary, I learned a poem, and it stuck with me all my life. I read it about the time I read ``I Can.'' First time. And it was, if I can remember, it was, Isn't it strange that princes and kings, And clowns that caper in sawdust rings, And common folks like you and me, Are builders for eternity. To each is given a bag of tools, A shapeless mass, a set of rules; And each shall make ere life is flown, A stumbling block, or a stepping-stone. And you know, we are all in this together. We all do it together. And it has been fantastic. And there is a king, a great king that, as he was leaving his reign, he said to the people, Remember when you are in the service of your fellow men, you are only in the service of your God. That is what it is all about. And I could, man, I could go around the room. I could take hours. I will start with my kids: Tamara, number one; Howard, number two; John Matthew is not here; Kimberly, number four; David is not here. He was here last week for that tremendous honor that the military gave us; and then our baby, Tricia. Now I can start on the grandchildren. We have got Jenna. We have got Alyssa. We have got Daniel. Carlie. Carlie is all grown up. You know, somebody asks me, every time they hear we have 30 kids, can you name them? I said, sure, I just have to prep. And now we start on great grandchildren. Londyn. But I don't know how to spell it. How would you spell it? Mrs. McKeon. I don't know. Ask him. Unidentified Speaker. L-o-n-d-y-n. Mr. McKeon. See, the grandma knows. I could go on and on. If I started getting in--let me just say one thing. For a period of time, I had three Bobs: Bob Simmons, staff director, and most of you know him; Bob Cochran, chief of staff with me for 20 years. He reminds me periodically, you know, that he was born the year I graduated high school. And Bob Haueter. I met them both together at the same time, so Bob, Bob, Bob. Bob, Bob, Bob. Bob. It was good because I am not good with names so I can just say, Hey, Bob. One of them would say, What? [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. And then, a couple years ago, Bob Haueter left; Bob Cochran left. I had to hire new people and I couldn't find a Bob. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. But I got Morris. Morris. That was, you know, about as far from Bob as you can get. Morris, raise your hand so people--he is from the district. He is my district director. [Applause.] Mr. McKeon. Mr. Secretary, take off. I am going to go for another couple of hours. Secretary Hagel. I know. I wanted to say, and I did forget this, and I can't walk out of this room without saying it. President Obama wanted me to say thank you, congratulations, and he also very much appreciates your leadership, what you have done for this country. I sure as hell can't go back to the White House and not tell you. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. I took our interns for lunch the other day. We do that before they leave, and I let them ask me questions. One of them said, Have you ever met a President? Yeah. Yeah. I have had that opportunity. I forgot what I was going to say for the second hour. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. Alan, yeah, I had to replace the other Bob, my chief of staff. Where is Alan? Alan has been so involved in all of this and in holding my hand, you know, as we plan to leave. And that is hard because he doesn't have a job to go to. Of course, I don't either. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. But we will work it out. We will find a way to keep bread on the table. We will do that. Hey, let me--Bob, Alan, Morris, Bob, Bob, all of the staff that I have, Vic, all of the staff--I got chosen to be chairman of the Education Committee, and then you need a staff director. And I didn't even think of asking Vic because he was making a fortune, and somebody said, you have got to ask Vic, because we had worked very closely together before he left committee. I said, geez, he is making so much money. No way he would come back and do this. I asked him, and he came back. And that was--he will never make up for that. I will never make up for it, but I sure appreciate it, and it really helped me because Boehner took a lot of the staff with him, and we had to get the whole committee reorganized. Hi, Karen. Karen was our first, after Bob, hire. I could tell you a story about her, but she probably rather we don't do that right now. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. General, Commandant, standing over here, we are going out together. Bonnie's probably a lot more happy about it, and he will get used to it. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. But, you know, I didn't even want to get started going on names because I know it would be a real big problem. Let me just say, this is such a fantastic experience. I have had, as I said, so many blessings, the opportunity of working with you. I mean, you know, I mentioned this last night in the bill, you know, government workers, a lot of times people say bad things about them, you know, they are on the public dole, blah, blah, that kind of stuff. And I said it last night, and I will say it again how much work you do, how much you are appreciated by me and by all of those that you associate with that know the work that you do. Thank you. Thank you again. Members pretty much all had to leave to go vote. I figure missing a couple votes probably won't hurt my election. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. They are all things I have already voted for, and I know that I would have voted for them again, and they will pass. Thank you for being here. Bradley, Mac left to vote, he wanted a smile. We had a lot of discussion on that, and it was really hard for me to stand there and not smile. But we felt the defense of our Nation--and that is where that portrait is going to hang--is serious business. And you can go in Education and see a smile; a smile on that one, and then a serious one. And I think you did such a fantastic job with what you had to work with. [Laughter.] [Applause.] Mr. McKeon. This guy, he worked a whole lot more than what he got paid, and any of you guys that are going to be chairman, you ought to remember that he is really good, and he really works at it, and he came and took a jillion pictures. We would pose. He first went out and studied the area and then he took all these pictures. Then he did charcoal--what happened to those? Mr. Stevens. They are in my studio. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. I want to talk to you about those. We did four big charcoal drawings and then we picked out this, and then he got it almost complete and asked if we would come by and look at it. And I said, I asked you to make it like Robert Redford in his heyday. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. But he is too honest, and he said, you know what, you want to make it so you can recognize the person. And I thought, what the heck, Robert Redford is aging, too, you know. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. But fantastic job. And I really enjoyed our association, and the effort you put into this I think was really great. Did you prepare that speech? Mrs. McKeon. Yes. Mr. McKeon. Do you have it ready? Mrs. McKeon. I do. So we were out on a date, and he said--I said, ``You are the one.'' And he said, ``The one what?'' And I said, ``The one that is going to marry me.'' And he said, ``When?'' And I set a date. [Laughter.] Mr. McKeon. It is called setting the hook. And man, am I glad she did, because the way I get around making decisions, I would probably still be thinking about it. But thank you all. Thank you for your friendship, your devotion to our Nation, for all that you have meant to us in so many different ways. And, Bob, thank you. But those who contributed the resources to make this possible, thank you, especially. I don't know if there is any food left. If there is, I hope you will eat it. Enjoy yourselves. And no votes tomorrow. Thank you. [Applause.] [Whereupon, at 6:45 p.m., the presentation was concluded.] HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES One Hundred Thirteenth Congress HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON, California, Chairman MAC THORNBERRY, Texas ADAM SMITH, Washington WALTER B. JONES, North Carolina LORETTA SANCHEZ, California J. RANDY FORBES, Virginia MIKE McINTYRE, North Carolina JEFF MILLER, Florida ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania JOE WILSON, South Carolina SUSAN A. DAVIS, California FRANK A. LoBIONDO, New Jersey JAMES R. LANGEVIN, Rhode Island ROB BISHOP, Utah RICK LARSEN, Washington MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio JIM COOPER, Tennessee JOHN KLINE, Minnesota MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, Guam MIKE ROGERS, Alabama JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut TRENT FRANKS, Arizona DAVID LOEBSACK, Iowa BILL SHUSTER, Pennsylvania NIKI TSONGAS, Massachusetts K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, Texas JOHN GARAMENDI, California DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, Jr., ROBERT J. WITTMAN, Virginia Georgia DUNCAN HUNTER, California COLLEEN W. HANABUSA, Hawaii JOHN FLEMING, Louisiana JACKIE SPEIER, California MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado RON BARBER, Arizona E. SCOTT RIGELL, Virginia ANDRE CARSON, Indiana CHRISTOPHER P. GIBSON, New York CAROL SHEA-PORTER, New Hampshire VICKY HARTZLER, Missouri DANIEL B. MAFFEI, New York JOSEPH J. HECK, Nevada DEREK KILMER, Washington JON RUNYAN, New Jersey JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi SCOTT H. PETERS, California MO BROOKS, Alabama WILLIAM L. ENYART, Illinois RICHARD B. NUGENT, Florida PETE P. GALLEGO, Texas KRISTI L. NOEM, South Dakota MARC A. VEASEY, Texas PAUL COOK, California TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma BRAD R. WENSTRUP, Ohio JACKIE WALORSKI, Indiana BRADLEY BYRNE, Alabama Robert L. Simmons II, Staff Director