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[Page H4225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SHOWCASE FOR COMMERCE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week I was honored to
attend the Showcase for Commerce in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Cambria
County.
For nearly 30 years, the annual Showcase for Commerce has highlighted
the exceptional work happening in Cambria County.
Established by the late Congressman Jack Murtha, the event brings
together Federal, State and local leaders, as well as major defense
corporations and subcontractors and regional, national, and
international business leaders.
With more than 100 exhibitors and more than 2,000 attendees, the
Showcase for Commerce has grown into a nationally recognized business
and industry trade show and defense contracting exhibition.
Cambria County has a skilled workforce that makes considerable
contributions to our national security. We saw more than $180 million
in new defense contracts announced at this year's showcase. Because
America can't merely remain competitive in a global economy, but we
must lead the way with the most sophisticated technology.
As a Member of the House of Representatives and the father of an
Active-Duty soldier and a Purple Heart wounded warrior, I am not
interested in a fair fight. Our United States military members deserve
our best, that includes the resources to be optimally safe, effective,
and lethal.
There is no better means to a peaceful world or a deterrent to would-
be dictators and terrorists than a well-equipped, robustly trained, and
properly funded United States military.
Generations of workers in Cambria County and southwestern
Pennsylvania have been dedicated to our national security through
service overseas and service here at home.
They ensure that we send our servicemen and women into combat with
the most advanced state-of-the-art equipment available.
Here in Washington, the Army's modernization efforts include a
request of $12.2 billion in research, development, tests, and
evaluation funding, and $21.8 billion in procurement, which will begin
to address the Army's identified top six modernization priorities:
Long-Range Precision Fires Missile, next-generation combat vehicles,
Future Vertical Lift, tactical network, air-and-missile defense, and
soldier lethality.
Now, I support this request because we need to be ready to answer the
threats that are before us, whether they come from Iran, North Korea,
Russia, or elsewhere, we must be able to counter and mitigate such
threats swiftly and deliberately.
Career and technical education play a role in our readiness. Right
now, there are more than 7 million job openings in the United States,
and it is one of the greatest challenges we face--the skills gap.
Thanks to the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the
21st Century Act, we were able to completely overhaul the Perkins Act
and invest the resources necessary to have a dominant and prosperous
workforce.
We can secure the future, and help more Americans climb the rungs on
the ladder of opportunity through career and technical education
programs.
Mr. Speaker, the Showcase for Commerce puts Cambria County workforce
on display. Those of us in Pennsylvania already knew this, and the
showcase lets us share it with the rest of the Nation.
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