Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring a dedicated community leader from our district, Alberto ``Beto'' Gonzales, whose work with the youth of our Hispanic community serves as a shining example for current and future generations.

Mr. Gonzales grew up in the Hispanic neighborhoods of South Omaha but, unfortunately, fell into drugs and alcohol and was part of a street gang by the age of 11. At the age of 23, Alberto met Sister Joyce Englert, who helped him learn about Christ and get off drugs permanently. As a result, Beto committed his life to helping youth.

Beto runs youth drug and alcohol treatment groups, outreach with schools, and served as a Boys Town crisis hotline counselor. Today, he serves

as an Omaha Police Department gang prevention and intervention specialist and a youth counselor for the South Omaha Boys and Girls Club. Through these efforts, Alberto Gonzales has touched and changed the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of youths in the Hispanic community.

Alberto gives credit to God; his mother, who always prayed for him; Sister Joyce; and the many educators and professionals who encouraged him along the way.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer amendment No. 5. I plan to ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment. However, before I do, I would ask to engage Chairman Calvert in a brief colloquy.

Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has a backlog of 49 species waiting to be down-listed or delisted. This issue is further compounded by the fact that an additional 839 species are overdue for their mandatory 5-year status review to determine if ESA protections need to continue.

It is no wonder why States are frustrated that species are put on the list and rarely removed. To be more effective in species conservation, the Fish and Wildlife Service must address this backlog so States can better focus their recovery efforts.

I respect the committee's progress made on this front, but I hope we can make further efforts to ensure the Fish and Wildlife Service is an effective ally in species conservation under EPA.

Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman.

I thank the gentleman for his feedback and efforts, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my amendment No. 5.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the growing national security risk to our overseas military facilities posed by the Russian Federation.

For the last three years, we have watched with alarm as Putin's Russia has adopted an aggressive and adversarial posture towards the U.S. and our allies. Putin armed the so-called separatists in eastern Ukraine. He aggressively annexed Crimea. He is intervening in the Syrian Civil War on the side of a brutal dictator. He blatantly threatens allied nations in Europe and close to home we know he used cyber weapons to destabilize our democratic process. Moscow's hostility to our interests grows stronger and more apparent by the day.

The military dimension of Russia's strategy is obvious and you can see it covered in the nightly news. What is less obvious however is the non-military aspect of Russia's national strategy. Today one of the most serious

threats to our European allies--and our military installation in Europe--is Russia's corner on natural gas and oil. Putin constantly threatens to use these resources as means to exercise political and economic control on those who heavily rely on Russian fuels as their primary source of energy.

It is for these reasons that I was proud to join my friend and colleague from South Carolina, Representative Joe Wilson, in shining a light on this threat in the House Armed Services Committee report to accompany the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.

Just as we focus on the risk to our forward-based troops, aircraft and ships, we must not overlook the risk to the installations from which they operate. The energy we rely on to power these facilities supports our troops, their families, and their vital mission.

As a matter of strategy, our military installations overseas require secure and reliable sources of energy. Today in Europe--particularly in Germany--our military facilities receive furnished heat and other utilities from commercial or private power stations. In many cases, these energy facilities are fueled by German natural gas distribution systems which are heavily supplied with natural gas from the Russian Federation.

Our growing exposure to Russia's ability to disrupt our energy supply lines is clearly seen in our network of military installations in Germany. I wish to call attention to one such facility: the U.S. Army's future medical complex at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, nearby Ramstein Air Base where I was the installation commander. At an authorized cost of nearly $1 billion, this vital new facility will replace the Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center and serve the combat needs and family requirements of military personnel on three continents.

Mr. Speaker, I am gravely concerned that our current energy supply strategy will actually increase our exposure to harmful Russian influence over time. Under no circumstances should we construct and operate critical military installations overseas where the only source of energy comes from Russia. We must take immediate and deliberate steps to adopt a strategy of energy resilience through mixed-fuel diversification such that not one single source--such as Russian Federation gas--should serve as a primary supply of energy.

It would be financially irresponsible and strategically reckless to appropriate nearly $1 billion for a state-of-the art military medical center to serve our troops and families overseas, only to have the design of the new facility compromise the very reason it exists by relying on the Russian Federation to supply natural gas as the primary fuel source. There are local mixed-fuel energy supply options readily available and it would be inexcusable not to make them part of the design of this project. This is good strategy, good economics and just plain common sense.

We simply cannot allow ourselves to be put in a situation where Russia has the ability to cut off energy to our forward bases, especially when we could have averted this tragic vulnerability ahead of time.

The seriousness of the Russian energy threat to our overseas military installations is addressed in the 2018 House Armed Services NDAA report which directs the Secretary of Defense to make a comprehensive evaluation of these risks and report his findings and recommendations. I am pleased to see my colleagues in the House Appropriations Committee also took up this issue with similar language in the Military Construction Appropriations and Defense Appropriations bills that passed the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House and Senate--and especially all Members of the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees--to join me in exercising aggressive oversight of this real and serious threat to our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a leader in the Hispanic, small business community of my congressional district in Omaha, Nebraska. A Nebraska immigrant, Mr. Antonio ``Tony'' Vega's career of entrepreneurship and mentorship is recognized through his commitment to service and upholding the values of hard work.

Mr. Vega was born and raised in Zapotlan El Grande, a city about 80 miles south of Guadalajara, in Mexico. He was raised by a single mother who considered his education to be her highest priority. She sacrificed greatly for his higher education by immigrating to the United States to earn enough money to pay for Tony's education back in Mexico. Tony also attributes his strong morals, values and work ethic to his grandparents, who influenced him during his childhood. As a result, Tony successfully completed a Bachelor's Degree in Tourism and Travel Management at the Universidad de Guadalajara in 1987.

Following graduation, Tony's first job was with the State of Jalisco tourism agency as the Deputy Delegate, overseeing 16 counties and developing relations with all county dignitaries. He later became the Director of Small Business Development for his hometown of Zapotlan El Grande, where he was the coordinator for the annual festival Feria Zapotlan, which runs during the entire month of October with a variety of cultural activities and national attractions.

In 1994, he immigrated to the United States to reside in San Gabriel, CA. It was there that he met a wholesale leather goods distributor who taught him about Hispanic, small businesses. Mr. Vega worked Monday through Friday at Arambula Hats. During the weekend, he explored ways to develop more efficient shipping routes throughout the pacific coast from Southern California to Oregon.

Tony came to Omaha, Nebraska in 2000 to work as an administrator at Plaza Latina. Mr. Vega implemented a new management style for retail through an inventive strategy of connecting small businesses in a single retail, one-stop location. His concept was praised by the owners of Plaza Latina, who offered to sell the whole business and building to Mr. Vega along with a 5-year financing deal, requiring no lawyers be involved. This led Mr. Vega to construct an incubator for a Hispanic, small business. Using the small retail spaces and resources at Plaza Latina, new entrepreneurs had an opportunity to succeed within one community and location.

This concept for small business development caught the attention of Dr. Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, a faculty member at the University of Nebraska--Omaha, who wanted to know more about Mr. Vega's modern marketing and business approach. Dr. Benjamin-Alvarado brought the University of Nebraska's College of Business' students from all campuses to experience his business concept. This partnership was the initial catalyst that led to the success of the many businesses that Tony helped.

In 2005, the Hispanic business community in South Omaha started to take off and the first major bank moved into the area. First National Bank of Omaha broke ground on a new Spanish-speaking branch, solely focused on Hispanic clients and businesses along the 24th Street corridor. This would eventually become the main financier in South Omaha. The move by the bank was initially received with reluctance by local Latino business. However, due to the quick actions of Mr. Vega, seven core businesses gathered for a meeting at Guacamaya Restaurant on the 2nd of March. Mr. Vega proposed the local Hispanic Business Community integrate with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC).

On April 7, 2005 by unanimous vote, Mr. Vega's Hispanic Business Group became a member of the USHCC and grew from 7 Hispanic businesses to 28 in their first month. Tony became the first President of the Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and held the position for the first 3 years. He paved the way for the current business model of incubating, developing and empowering small business success.

Today, Mr. Vega is the owner of Factor Latino magazine. Published monthly in Spanish, it is catered to the Latino and Hispanic business community leaders in Nebraska. An avid fan of Mexican Lucha Libre (Wrestling) since childhood; he is the founder and President of Midwest Mexican Wrestling. Additionally, he created TV Latina Nebraska to serve the online Latino community. It is a platform that provides coverage on local politics, community support programs and leaders within the Hispanic community in Omaha.

Mr. Vega is happily married to the love of his life, Eliana Ortiz since 1992. He is a father to three boys: Braulio, Omar and Nicolas, and two girls: Jessica and Grecia. His everyday passions include communications, road trips, Mexican wrestling and hosting gatherings of friends and family. I am proud to recognize all of Mr. Vega's accomplishments and am confident that he will continue to inspire and enhance the Hispanic, small business community in Nebraska.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the growing threat to our overseas military facilities posed by the Russian Federation.

Today, one of the serious risks to our bases in Europe is Russia's corner on oil and natural gas. One such facility is the Army's new medical complex in Germany, planned to be located near Ramstein Air Base, where I was the installation commander.

It would be financially irresponsible and strategically reckless to spend $1 billion for a state-of-the-art hospital, only to have the design of the new facility compromise the very reason it exists by relying on Russia as its primary source of fuel. There are local mixed- fuel energy supply options readily available, and it would be inexcusable not to make them part of the design of this project. This is good strategy, good economics, and just plain common sense.

We can't allow ourselves to be put in a situation where Russia has the ability to cut off energy to our forward bases, especially when we could have averted this tragic vulnerability ahead of time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House and Senate to join me in exercising aggressive oversight of this threat to our national security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Microloan Modernization Act of 2017. This legislation will benefit America's small businesses by improving the Small Business Administration's Microloan program.

Small business lending has not kept pace with the improving economy after the Great Recession, and this has been especially true for small- dollar borrowers.

Early stage small businesses do not have the proven financial history and

lack access to traditional lending. Unable to borrow money from banks and credit unions, they often turn to friends, family, or credit cards to finance their businesses.

The SBA Microloan program provides access to capital through nonprofit intermediaries that will loan up to $50,000 for their upstart companies. These intermediaries also offer technical assistance and counseling to facilitate their business' success.

H.R. 2056 will improve the SBA Microloan program by expanding the lending volume to microloan intermediaries, by giving them greater flexibility with their SBA technical assistance grants, to provide more preloan comprehensive assistance to businesses in their infancy, and by requiring the SBA to study and report to Congress on the utilization of the program.

This bill provides meaningful reforms to modernize the SBA Microloan program, and I am a proud cosponsor. This is a needed bill to support the engine of our economy: our small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in respectful opposition to this amendment.

No one can dispute America's need for icebreakers. These capital ships are indispensable tools to ensure the safe and rapid movement of commerce in Arctic waters. I commend my colleagues for their strong advocacy for these ships and share their belief that we need them.

However, the responsibility and accountability for constructing and operating America's icebreakers must rest solely where the Congress has assigned it: the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The question we are debating today is not whether we need icebreakers, but how to appropriate the funds and who should build them. As important as icebreakers are, they are not warships, and we must not allow funding legitimately appropriated for our combat

fleet to be diverted for nondefense needs.

While I acknowledge the temptation to raid defense accounts for a worthy cause, we must be mindful of how deep in the hole we are with our air, land, sea, space, and cyber forces. We need to keep our eye on the ball in rebuilding our military's readiness and our modernization.

Mr. Chair, I urge a vote ``no'' against this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I just want to point out, when I came to the Air Force in 1985, we have since then reduced our ICBM force by 60 percent. Enough is enough. Four hundred is the level we should not go below.

Our strategic nuclear force enterprise is America's force of last resort and has, for decades, asserted peace through strength for the United States and its allies around the world.

I would like to remind my colleagues that every one of us in the House and the many millions of Americans we represent have lived and prospered in peace precisely because we have made the conscious decision as a nation many years ago to keep a strong, responsive, and resilient nuclear deterrent.

The ICBM leg of the nuclear triad is, by design, the largest, safest, and most responsive part of our central strategic forces. It is the very foundation of our nuclear deterrent, and we must preserve the longstanding bipartisan consensus that our ICBMs be kept at high levels of alert and at sufficient numbers to ensure our nuclear deterrent stays credible.

As we continue down to a new START level, a treaty level of 400 ICBMs, it is essential that we go no lower. When we say ``promote the common defense,'' this is what those words mean.

Mr. Chair, I urge support of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in staunch support of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018.

I served in the military under the past five Presidents starting with Ronald Reagan and witnessed firsthand the erosion of our combat edge. When I joined the military, we out-trained our competitors with a 2-to- 1 flying-hour advantage. Today, we are lagging behind them in training, and it is unconscionable to send our warriors to fight without every possible advantage. We don't want a close fight, but that is where we are at today.

As a General Officer, I was charged with preparing our forces to prevail over any adversary, a nearly impossible task given the damage done by a 22 percent reduction of defense spending over the last 8 years while we are at war. This act will begin to right the ship with a 10 percent top-line increase providing the means to rebuild readiness, deter aggression, and defeat adversaries. It invests in peace through strength.

The Constitution charges this body with the power to provide for the common defense. For the Armed Services Committee, this is a solemn obligation rooted in over 50 years of bipartisanship, and we meet this obligation with the 2018 NDAA.

Mr. Chairman, I urge support.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to this amendment.

I can attest unequivocally, based on firsthand knowledge, that this latest attempt to transfer detainees at Guantanamo Bay is strategically unwise and, I believe, morally wrong. None of the arguments in favor of transferring these prisoners are defensible militarily, legally, or financially.

We are in a war and these prisoners were captured on the battlefield. There is no hard evidence to support the argument that Guantanamo is a decisive recruiting tool, and is extremely naive to believe that closing it would somehow magically change the hearts and minds of our enemies. We could disarm and renounce every interest we have and they would just invent another reason to attack us.

The truth is that many of these prisoners are the worst of the worst, yet they are treated better than many of our own veterans. And here is the key point: prisoners released from Guantanamo have killed Americans in the past and, if given the chance, will gladly do so again, a fact openly conceded by officials in the Obama administration itself.

We do not want the blood of Americans killed by these terrorists in custody today on our hands.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two lifelong servants from the State of Nebraska, former Speaker of Legislature Ron Withem and his wife, Diane.

Speaker Withem is retiring this month from 2 decades with the University of Nebraska, where he has served as the associate vice president for university affairs and the director of governmental relations.

As we see the end of one's historic career, we are reminded of the positive impact one person can have on so many. Ron and Diane Withem have selflessly dedicated their lives to the State of Nebraska both in educating our youth as well as through the legislative process. The impact they have made on the entire State of Nebraska is evident all around us in Nebraska.

The story of the Withems is one full of many accomplishments. After moving to Papillion, Ron and Diane both became respected teachers in our local school district. Prior to entering politics, Ron was a teacher of history. Diane spent nearly 4 decades teaching in the Papillion-LaVista schools and prepared many students for college and success, including my own chief of staff, Mark Dreiling.

As leaders in our Democratic Party, Diane and Ron's political journey began in 1976, when they campaigned for Hess Dyas during the U.S. Senate primary. Later that year, they both worked for another former Second District Congressman, John Cavanagh, in the general election. Following Congressman Cavanagh's victory, Ron served as a congressional aide in his local office.

By the 1980s, Ron was a member of the Papillion-LaVista School Board and was a member of the Papillion Planning Commission. When the legislative seat in District 14 became vacant in 1983, Ron was tapped by Governor Bob Kerry to serve out the term. And serve he did.

Ron Withem dedicated 14 years of his life in our legislature, serving as the chairperson of the Urban Affairs Committee, the chairperson of the Education Committee, and the high mark being his election as the first Democratic speaker since 1970, which happened in a Republican- majority body of our officially nonpartisan legislature.

During that time, he rose to become one of the most well-respected voices in our unicameral, proudly working on issues that he was passionate about and that would have had a profound impact on our State.

Some of his accomplishments are easily visible, such as the Harrison Street Interstate Exchange. Working alongside local elected officials and business leaders, Ron's strong advocacy paved the way for what is now one of our most vibrant areas in the district.

A leader among leaders, Ron was instrumental in sponsoring and guiding many other important pieces of legislation into law. He negotiated the State's first major reform in K-12 educational funding, sponsored legislation granting tuition waivers for veterans' dependents, led efforts to improve accessibility and the transparency of our elections, and he worked to create Nebraska's first bone marrow drive system.

Through his years in public office, he was well-respected by both his colleagues as well as his constituents. Ron was known for his uncanny ability to remember bill numbers, the year a bill was discussed, and even the most

minute details surrounding the debate. As his former aide, Michelle Waite, said: ``He might be a donkey, but Ron had the memory of an elephant for sure.'' He was considered a master legislative strategist who knew how to pull together a coalition from both parties to get the people's business done.

After 14 years of serving in the legislature, Ron went to work for the University of Nebraska. During his tenure, he made a tremendous impact on our State by leading the university's legislative relations strategy. He also was the force behind the Building a Healthier Nebraska legislative initiative. The result of this initiative was a new cancer center, veterinary diagnostic center, and a health sciences center facility.

Ron was one of the architects behind the compromise that transferred the Nebraska State fairgrounds to the University of Nebraska for the development of the Nebraska Innovation Campus. This public-private partnership leverages university research for economic benefit, all the while preserving some of the history of our State fairgrounds.

His colleagues at the university talk about their tremendous respect for Ron. He was known for building quality relationships with others and his ability to meet daily challenges with positivity. Ron once said: ``My goal is to communicate to policymakers the enormous value the University of Nebraska brings to the State and its people.''

His passion for the university and the success of Nebraska's youth motivated him to work in higher education State relations. His achievements in higher education State relations did not go unnoticed. At the Higher Education Government Relations Conference in 2013, Ron was awarded the Marvin D. ``Swede'' Johnson Achievement Award, a very prestigious national level award.

As a fellow citizen of Papillion, I want to thank both Ron and Diane Withem for their positive impact that they have made serving our community and our State.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of this bill today. I stand in support of the rule of law. I stand in support of our institutions.

I also stand in memory of Sarah Root, a young woman who was murdered by a drunk driver on January 16. She was killed in my district--or Nebraska 02--a short time after graduating from Bellevue University with a 4.0 grade point average, with a bright future ahead of her. She was loved by her parents and her extended family. If you see her picture, that beautiful smile would warm any room.

The perpetrator was here illegally from Honduras. He posted bail and never was seen again. ICE failed to hold him, and justice was denied. We can't let this happen again.

The bill today will fix this. We can't let a travesty of justice like this ever happen again. Our systems have to hold people accountable. When ICE lets people go like this and they leave, a travesty of justice occurs.

Today we stand with Michelle Root, the mother of Sarah Root, who is here, and we stand with Scott Root. We remember Sarah Root, and we say: Never again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a lifelong servant from Sarpy County, Nebraska, Sergeant Don Voss. As we see the end of one officer's historic career, we are reminded of the need for brave police officers from around our great nation to pick up this calling of service.

Sergeant Don Voss joined the police force in 1978 while still serving as a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He received awards such as the Bellevue Jaycees Officer of the Year, the Knights of Aksarben Citizen Soldier Award, and the Michael J. Elman Officer of the Year Award. He received the Department Life Saving Award for quickly administering CPR to an infant, ultimately saving their life. He was a pioneer in community policing as a narcotics officer responsible for combating the growing opiate problem and providing care to Sarpy families whose children and loved ones were battling opiate addiction.

Don is a sterling example of someone who has put their life on the line, day in and day out, for nearly 40 years protecting the citizens of Nebraska. Sgt Don Voss, I wish you and your family the best in this next phase in your life. You and the entire police family will always have a friend in Washington, DC.

Mr. Speaker, in light of yesterday's tragedy, I think it is important to remember those who keep our communities safe, including our military, law enforcement, and first responders. In addition to those groups, I believe educators are also heroes.

Today, I want to highlight a family from my hometown of Papillion, Nebraska, the Kelletts, whose story represents what it means to be heroes and servants of our Nation.

Bill Kellett recently retired as the director of the Papillion-La Vista South High School band, and was a music educator for 33 years. His students were featured in two Presidential inaugural parades and marched in the 2000 millennium celebration in London.

His wife, Andrea, is also a longtime educator who taught history and directed the Titan guard and legion units.

Three of their sons currently serve as airmen, and a fourth one is also a teacher in our community.

Last December, Captain Kyle Kellett, one of their sons, was recognized with the Lieutenant General William H. Tunner Award as the commander of the most outstanding airlift crew in the United States Air Force. As civil war was raging in Yemen, then-Secretary of Defense Ash Carter ordered all U.S. personnel out of the country, and that is when Captain Kellett and his crew put their lives on the line to protect their fellow Americans.

Their no-fail mission was flown at night, over the war-torn country, in bad weather, and with little time for planning. Captain Kellett and his crew quickly evacuated 70 Americans only hours before militants overran their location. His leadership and crew were nothing short of heroic.

This is a proud all-American family. I want to thank the Kellett family for their service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues and fellow citizens to elevate our political discourse in which we participate for the good of our country.

Some of what I see in America grieves me. The partisan divide grows more volatile, and decency shrinking in our political dialogue. Many on the left continue to say, Mr. Trump is ``not my President.'' And in the past, some on the right have said, Mr. Obama is ``not my President.''

Now we have people who think it is comical to be photographed with the depiction of the President's bloodied head. I can only think of real-life intelligence photos I have viewed of innocent men and women shortly after their decapitation at the hands of a terrorist. Escalating America's political discussion to actions like what Ms. Griffin is guilty of undermines our Nation's discourse and weakens the unity of our citizens, and I don't know where it stops.

I fear we are pulling apart. The left and right should not hate each other. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., asserted: ``Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.'' We must be able to disagree, debate, and then strive together for America. When we pull apart, our Nation weakens and our citizens become more vulnerable. I fear that if we continue down this path, the political wedge will be so ugly it will not be so easily repaired.

It is this pulling apart that caused us not to pass a defense spending bill on time for almost a decade. Our military leaders have stated we are back to the hollow force of the 1970s due to this congressional malpractice. Our Navy is unable to fly half of their aircraft; the Army only has 3 of their 58 combat brigades fully ready to deploy; and our Air Force pilots fly less hours today than they did during the hollow force years.

In other words, the partisan rancor has undermined our Nation's defense, and our servicemen and -women are paying for this price in readiness. If North Korea, Russia, or another threat tries to take advantage of our weaknesses, our great warriors will pay for it with their blood.

I love our country and our representative democracy. We have had our times of extreme divide. At the beginning of our Nation's history, there were very aggressive debates between the followers of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, for example. We saw strife during Andrew Jackson's Presidency, when many of his opponents feared he was going to be America's Napoleon, and we survived those times.

But let us not forget the bitter acrimony leading up to the 1860s, when we saw physical assaults on the floor of Congress. That divide was only solved after over 600,000 Americans died in the Civil War.

Let us debate the issues. I have already held five townhalls myself to engage in the essential debates to improve our country, and I will hold more. But when it comes to the vitriol and verbal assaults, let us all take a knee and reflect.

Are we taking our Nation to a potential precipice of a disaster if we keep turning up the volume of this partisanship?

Earlier this year, the congressional freshman class signed a civility pledge. I again pledge civility, but I also implore our Nation to include our media and entertainment to reflect on the tone and ugliness that we are seeing. Let us rein in the anger and disrespect. I implore our President, our Senate, all of us in the people's House, all of our citizens, let us raise the bar of our debate and treat each other with respect. Let us not cross the line between criticizing the issues to criticizing the person.

I have served in the military next to many great Americans for nearly 30 years, and we all swore to protect and defend every American with our lives, regardless of our party affiliations. In fact, I rarely knew if a person was a Republican or a Democrat during my time in the Air Force.

Let us not forget, too, that, during our history, 1.2 million Americans gave their lives in the defense of this country. They were Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Some had no party at all. Some were Federalists. Some were Whigs. They paid the ultimate price so we could have the privilege of a free and open debate that we enjoy today. They fought and died so our citizens could be the sovereigns of our Nation.

Let us turn away from the anger, outrage upon outrage, away from the character assassinations. Let us turn toward civil debate and contend for our ideas and values in a manner pursuant to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When we lose an election, regardless of the party, let us do so gracefully, and respect the will of the voters and the Constitution. Let us agree when we agree, and respectfully disagree when we disagree. But to resist at all costs, on every issue, is damaging to our country.

Today, some are calling for impeachment of our President. With the facts that we have, it is wrong and it is putting politics over the well-being of our country, and we are better than this. Let us turn down the volume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Lisa L.A. Epperson on the occasion of her retirement from the United States Air Force, the best Air Force in the world.

Colonel Epperson has given a great deal to this Nation through her service. Her assignments include Wright-Patterson, Tyndall, Los Angeles, Hill, and Nellis Air Force Bases, and finally here at the Pentagon. Colonel Epperson has influenced mission systems from Defense Satellite Communications System and Minuteman III, an ICBM, to the F-15 and F-22. Most importantly, she impacted our warfighting operations in Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Throughout her distinguished career, Colonel Epperson represented our country with honor, and I am privileged to pay tribute to her. On behalf of Congress and the United States, I want to thank Colonel Epperson; her husband, David; and their children, Trevor and Cassidy, for their 20 years of service. I wish them Godspeed and continued happiness as they start this new chapter.