Floor Statements

Madam President, I wish to recognize Oklahoma resident Col. Stephanie A. Holcombe of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, or JIEDDO, who will retire from the U.S. Air Force on January 1, 2015, after 25 years of distinguished service. Col. Holcombe significantly impacted the global fight against improvised explosive devices during her final tour of duty as JIEDDO's chief of public affairs. She directly contributed to creating a global awareness about the IED threat; and helped inform and educate people about JIEDDO's work to reduce the effectiveness of IEDs and eliminate the enemy networks that seek to use these devices to harm our troops.

Col. Holcombe is a distinguished graduate of Oklahoma State University's Reserve Officers' Training Corps in Stillwater, OK, class of 1989, with a degree in photo journalism. She also achieved two master's degrees from the University of Florida and the National War College.

During her 25-year long career as a public affairs officer, she held assignments with Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Material Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and on the Headquarters Air Staff. In 2004, she deployed to Baghdad where she worked with the U.S. Embassy and conducted operations for Multi- National Forces--Iraq.

Col. Holcombe earned numerous awards and decorations including the

Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal, among others. She also received Air Force wide accolades for her excellence in journalism, twice earning the Thomas Jefferson Award.

I am proud to share in the celebration of Col. Stephanie A. Holcombe's military career. I wish her all the best in her retirement.

Madam President, it is my honor to pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of Army SPC William E. Allmon, of Ardmore, OK who died on April 12, 2008, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device while serving his Nation in Baghdad, Iraq.

William was a combat engineer who joined the Army in June 2000 and was on his second deployment to Iraq. He previously deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2005 to January 2006. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA.

``If you didn't know him, you missed out on a lot,'' wrote SGT Richard White in a letter read tearfully by his wife during a funeral service. ``You are not only my best friend, you are my brother.''

A funeral service was held on April 22, 2008 at Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church in Silver Creek, GA.

William is survived by his wife Jennifer, their son Damien and stepson Jason ``Luke'' Johnson, his mother Donna Fortune, and his father William Allmon.

He loved his family and his children. ``We're going to miss his smile and his antics--he was a kid at heart. When we went to Chuck E. Cheese, he'd get as much out of it as the kids,'' said the soldier's father, William Allmon.

Today we remember Army SPC William E. Allmon, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Staff Sergeant Kevin R. Brown

Madam President, it is my honor to also honor the life and sacrifice of Army SSG Kevin R. Brown, of Harrah, OK who died on September 25, 2007, of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb while serving his Nation in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.

A cavalry scout, Brown joined the military in September 1988, a year after graduating from Harrah High School. He was inspired to join the military by his father Richard Haynes Brown, a senior master sergeant who retired at Tinker Air Force Base, OK after 22 years of service.

In April 2006 he was assigned 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based in Fort Hood, TX and deployed for his second tour to Iraq in October 2006.

A funeral service was held at the Brown family plot in Rineyville, KY, near Fort Knox, TN.

Kevin is survived by his parents Glenda and Richard Haynes Brown, his wife Lena of Killeen, TX, the couple's daughters Maria, 13, and Charlene, 14, a sister Brandy Ross of Moore, OK, and two stepchildren Jeremy and Pamela.

I extend our deepest gratitude and condolences to Kevin's family. He lived a life of love for his family, friends, and our country. He will be remembered for his commitment to and belief in the greatness of our Nation. I am honored to pay tribute to this true American hero who twice volunteered to go into the fight and made the ultimate sacrifice of his life for our freedom.

Private First Class Cody M. Carver

Madam President, I also wish to remember Army PFC Cody M. Carver who died on October 30, 2007 of wounds sustained when enemy forces engaged his unit with small-arms fire and an improvised explosive device in Baghdad, Iraq.

Born June 23, 1988, Cody joined the Army in November 2006. Upon completing basic training he returned to Oklahoma to serve as a hometown recruiter. He was then assigned to 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, GA where he was deployed to Iraq on September 28, 2007.

Cody's father, Darrell Lee Carver, was wounded during the Vietnam war. That, along with the September 11, 2001 attacks was his motivation for joining the Army, his mother said. ``He had talked about joining the Army since the ninth grade. I guess it was about the same time 9/11 happened. That bothered him so bad, he just wanted to go and make it right,'' she said.

A memorial service was held on November 10, 2007 at Coweta High School, with burial at the Vernon Cemetery in Coweta, OK.

His mother remembers him as very much a single man with a huge sense of humor. ``I asked him at Valentine's Day if there was anyone he wanted me to send flowers to,'' said his mother. ``He said, `Mom, that would be too many flowers. You couldn't afford it.' ''

Cody is survived by his parents Darrel and Pam Carver of Haskell, OK, brothers Lee and Jake Carver of Haskell, OK, and his grandparents Charles Orsburn and Barbara Phillippe of Wagoner, OK, and Ronald and Edna Carver of Coweta, OK.

Today we remember Army PFC Cody M. Carver, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Sergeant First Class David R. Hurst

Madam President, it is my honor to also honor the life and sacrifice of Army SFC David R. Hurst, of Fort Sill, OK who died on June 8, 2008, of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb while serving his Nation in Baghdad, Iraq.

Born October 21, 1976, David was a 1994 graduate of Ridgewood Prep School in Metairie, LA. He enlisted in the Army in March 1995 and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, GA before being honorably discharged in June 1998.

Returning to active duty in August 1999, he served as a basic training drill sergeant at Fort Sill, OK, from November 2005 to October 2007 and was then reassigned to 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Polk, LA.

A funeral service was held on June 17, 2008 at Schoen Funeral home with internment at Lake Lawn Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in New Orleans, LA.

David is preceded in death by his mother Harrette Kock and survived by his father Max Wayne Hurst, his stepmother Lillian T. Hurst, his brothers Chris and Mark Hurst, and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

I extend our deepest gratitude and condolences to David's family. He lived a life of love for his family, friends, and our country. He will be remembered for his commitment to and belief in the greatness of our Nation. I am honored to pay tribute to this true American hero who twice volunteered to go into the fight and made the ultimate sacrifice of his life for our freedom.

Sergeant First Class Jeffry D. Kettle

Madam President, it is my honor to also honor the life and sacrifice of Army SFC Jeffry D. Kettle who died on August 12, 2007 of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb while serving his Nation in Nangarhar province near Kuzkalakhel, Afghanistan.

Born August 26, 1975 and listing Madill, OK as his home of record, Jeff was a product of Texas City, TX. Military service ran in his family with his grandfather, uncles, brother, and father also completing service time. ``Jeff was the ultimate warrior,'' said Ronald Kettle, noting his son joined the Army in 1993 right after graduating from high school. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group based at Fort Bragg, NC and was on his fourth deployment.

A memorial service was held August 31, 2007, at Calvary Baptist Church in Texas City, TX. Jeff was buried with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on August 22, 2007. His flag-draped coffin was carried to the grave site by a six-man casket team of soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment. In the brief ceremony, relatives including his parents and his wife recited the Lord's Prayer. His father said his son, 31, wished to be at Arlington because ``he wanted to be buried among heroes.''

Jeff is survived by his parents Ron and Cindy Kettle, his wife Brandi Kettle, two sons Jeffrey and Logan, grandmother Anne Moore, and two brothers Ryan and Clay Kettle.

I extend our deepest gratitude and condolences to Jeff's family. He lived a

life of love for his family, friends, and our country. He will be remembered for his commitment to and belief in the greatness of our Nation. I am honored to pay tribute to this true American hero who volunteered to go into the fight and made the ultimate sacrifice of his life for our freedom.

Captain Torre R. Mallard

Madam President, I wish to remember another remarkable young man, Army CPT Torre R. Mallard. Assigned to 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, TX. Torre died March 10, 2008 of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device while serving his Nation in Balad Ruz, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The son of a retired army master sergeant, Torre was born August 20, 1980 in Anniston, AL, and lived throughout the United States and Europe, eventually graduating from Salmen High School in Slidell, LA, in 1998.

While attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Torre was actively involved in the boxing and football programs. During the spring semester of his sophomore year at the academy he served a 4- month term as a company commander, one of the highest positions in the Cadet Chain of Command at the academy. In June 2002 he earned a commission in the Army and graduated with a degree in computer science.

A memorial service was held on March 12, 2008 in Anniston, with burial in the U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery at West Point, NY.

Torre is survived by his wife Bonita, two young sons Torre Jr. and Joshua, and his parents Mose and Robin Mallard.

Today we remember Army CPT Torre R. Mallard, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Specialist Michael E. Phillips

Madam President, it is my honor to also pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of Army SPC Michael E. Phillips who died on February 24, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq.

Michael left for basic training on June 24, 2006. Upon finishing advanced infantry training, he was assigned to Bravo Company 1 of the 502nd Strike Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division.

On October 13, 2007, he and his teammates deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Just 4 months into his deployment an improvised explosive device tore through the door of the vehicle he was driving. Despite the severity of his injuries he continued to smile and reassure those taking care of him. Even in the most grim and serious times, Michael still fought and lifted up those around him.

He is survived by his parents Steven and Angelia Phillips, his brothers David and Anthony, and his sister Barbara--all of Ardmore, OK.

Michael excelled at drawing and had been offered admission to the San Francisco Art Institute, his mother said. But serving his country meant more than going to college, she said.

``He came home one day and said he wanted to join the Army, and we got in the car and went down to the recruiting station,'' Anglia Phillips said. ``He said terrorism was like a virus. It had to be stopped. It had to be contained.'' Her son was reenlisting to join for 2 more years because ``he didn't want to leave his squad, his guys,'' she said.

Today we remember Army SPC Michael E. Phillips, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Corporal Bryan J. Scripsick

Madam President, I also wish to remember Marine Corps Cpl Bryan J. Scripsick who, along with three other Marines, succumbed to injuries sustained after a suicide bomber attacked their position in Anbar province north of Baghdad, Iraq on September 6, 2007.

Bryan was born August 21, 1985. Although the family home is in Wayne, OK, he graduated in 2004 from Pauls Valley High School, where he played safety and wide receiver on the football team.

Rather than pursuing his dream of playing college football, Bryan chose to join the Marine Corps right after his 19th birthday in August 2004. He was assigned to 3rd Assault amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA and was on his second tour to Iraq.

More than 100 people filled the First United Methodist Church for a memorial service held on September 13, 2007. Burial took place at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Pauls Valley, OK. At the cemetery, members of the Marine honor guard carried the casket to the gravesite where the flag was folded above the casket and presented to Bryan's parents and his brother. He was then honored with three volleys from a rifle party and the playing of taps.

Bryan is survived by his parents Jon and Jan Scripsick, and his brother Brett Scripsick of Pauls Valley, OK.

Today we remember Marine Corps Cpl Bryan J. Scripsick, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be able to speak as in morning business for 15 minutes.

There is another issue I wish to talk about, and I have talked to our leader, Chairman Levin, on the Armed Services Committee. There are several members of the Armed Services Committee, including the chair, on the floor.

I think we wanted a vote on what happened last year. Last year we did not pass an NDAA--keep in mind we passed an NDAA every year for 52 years. Perhaps, in my narrow view, I think it is the most significant bill we address every year.

Now we have this year's NDAA that we passed on May 22. It passed our committee 25 to 1. It had the overwhelming support of Democrats and Republicans to go ahead and have an NDAA bill. Chairman Levin and I have come to the floor and begged our colleagues to send down amendments if they want. We have several amendments now, a couple hundred amendments. We are looking those over. We are going to try to see what can go into a managers' amendment, and maybe we can come up with something. I am hoping we can do it before the election, to come up with a bill that will consider the amendments. If we were able to say to the Democrats and Republicans in this vote that we would restrict it to ``X'' number of amendments, 3, 5, 6 amendments on each side, then I believe our leader would allow this to come to the floor so we could have an NDAA vote.

I have a number; 140 amendments have already been filed. The staff has been working over the August recess to put together a managers' package that is going to consider varieties of all these 140 amendments, but we need more. What I don't want to happen is in the last minute everyone comes up and says: Wait a minute. I have amendments and I want to have them included. Now is the time to do it.

We have thousands of men and women serving today in harm's way, risking their lives for us, for our Nation, and they are dealing with the most complex and volatile global security environments I have ever seen in my life. We rely on them to do their job to keep our Nation safe and they should rely on us to do the same.

Let's remember what happened last year. Last year we didn't do it and we came up to the year-end, and it wasn't until then we decided we were not going to be able to do it in the legitimate way that we have been doing for 52 years. And so I happened to be the ranking member of the minority, and of course we have Chairman Levin and we had the two on the House side. The big four got together in a room, took all the amendments that had been considered, weeded through them, satisfied most of the people, and in 3 hours we designed a bill, brought it out to the floor and passed it on the 26th of December. Now we have gone beyond that. We have gone to December 31.

We have kids out there risking their lives without hazard pay, without reenlistment bonuses. It costs some $15 million to train a fighter in the air to the standards of an F-22, and the reenlistment bonus would be about $200,000. So the economics are there. Assuming we had gone beyond that point, it would have been an absolute disaster.

So I am pleading with all of our Members on the Republican side and on the Democratic side to do what is necessary to bring their amendments down to the floor.

The President recently submitted an OCO request for $59 billion to fund operations in Afghanistan and around the world. The request includes a new $4 billion counterterrorism partnership fund and $1 billion for the European reassurance funds. Many questions remain about these funds. I have questions about it. I haven't talked to one member of our Senate Armed Services Committee who knows the details of this request.

We are the ones who should be doing this. These are measures we can include in the NDAA, and I am going to ask and plead with our fellow Members on the Democratic and Republican side to get your amendments in and let's go ahead and let us take a number of amendments on each side so we can have the ability to do it the way it should be done.

The only alternative is to do what we did last year, and that doesn't include anyone except four people in the House and Senate.

With that, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, when you look at what is happening with ISIS, we have gone through all kinds of terrorist activities. We all know we are in a crisis right now. I am inclined to agree--and I don't always agree--with Secretary Hagel, but on the day when he said that ``ISIS is an imminent threat to every interest we have, whether it is in Iraq or anywhere else,'' this is a big deal.

As America sat back and looked and observed and saw the beheading of two Americans, a lot of people said that was an act of war. I found out recently that as of yesterday--and it will be announced in the next few days that there is a poll that has been conducted, that if we take all the problems that are out there that people have been talking about for a long period of time, including the borders and all the other issues, nothing is even close to ISIS.

I think it was very interesting that on August 28, just a few days ago, the President made the statement, ``We don't have a strategy yet'' to deal with ISIS in Syria. If there is not a strategy now, there has to be a strategy.

I am introducing an AUMF resolution for action against ISIS. An AUMF is Authorization for Use of Military Force. This is something that perhaps the President has anyway--we don't know that--but we have to take away the doubt that is out there. Something has to be done. I know the President is going to make a speech--I guess it is on Wednesday-- and he may come out with a specific strategy. If he doesn't, he has had all the time in the world he needs to do it, and he hasn't done it. My AUMF is specific to ISIS. There are other AUMF's dealing with Al Qaeda and other things, but to me that just confuses the issue. This has now become the No. 1 issue in America, and

there is no tolerance to continue doing nothing, as we have been doing. We need to make sure the President has the authority, and this requires the President, within 15 days and then with 90-day updates, to submit in writing to Congress a comprehensive strategy to defeat the global threat posed by ISIS.

Keep in mind, it seems as if this President is inclined, anytime there is a problem out there, let's drop a bomb here and let's do something over there. That is not a strategy. I stated 1 year ago, on this same day, that the President cannot continue to operate without a clear-cut strategy.

So the congressional authorization for the President is to use all necessary and appropriate force to protect Americans in defending national security in the United States against a threat posed by ISIS and any successor terrorist organization. It allows the President to use all tools available and necessary to defeat ISIS, with flexibility to adjust efforts as the terrorist organization evolves. So this is not just limited to any boundaries. As you know, there are no boundaries with ISIS. It is not just Syria, it is not just Iraq. This is something that is spread all over. It is huge, and it is a threat unlike anything we have seen in our country before.

So I am asking my good friends--I have already talked to several friends on the Democratic side and the Republican side--to join me, and I think hopefully we will be able to do it.

It is estimated that 12,000 foreign fighters have joined ISIS, about 2,500 of which hold Western passports to give them easy access. What is going to happen is they will come back and be trained terrorists. I think that is a major issue that I want to at least have announced.

I have introduced this resolution. It is out there right now and we are going to be asking for support.

Mr. President, when you look at what is happening with ISIS, we have gone through all kinds of terrorist activities. We all know we are in a crisis right now. I am inclined to agree--and I don't always agree--with Secretary Hagel, but on the day when he said that ``ISIS is an imminent threat to every interest we have, whether it is in Iraq or anywhere else,'' this is a big deal.

As America sat back and looked and observed and saw the beheading of two Americans, a lot of people said that was an act of war. I found out recently that as of yesterday--and it will be announced in the next few days that there is a poll that has been conducted, that if we take all the problems that are out there that people have been talking about for a long period of time, including the borders and all the other issues, nothing is even close to ISIS.

I think it was very interesting that on August 28, just a few days ago, the President made the statement, ``We don't have a strategy yet'' to deal with ISIS in Syria. If there is not a strategy now, there has to be a strategy.

I am introducing an AUMF resolution for action against ISIS. An AUMF is Authorization for Use of Military Force. This is something that perhaps the President has anyway--we don't know that--but we have to take away the doubt that is out there. Something has to be done. I know the President is going to make a speech--I guess it is on Wednesday-- and he may come out with a specific strategy. If he doesn't, he has had all the time in the world he needs to do it, and he hasn't done it. My AUMF is specific to ISIS. There are other AUMF's dealing with Al Qaeda and other things, but to me that just confuses the issue. This has now become the No. 1 issue in America, and

there is no tolerance to continue doing nothing, as we have been doing. We need to make sure the President has the authority, and this requires the President, within 15 days and then with 90-day updates, to submit in writing to Congress a comprehensive strategy to defeat the global threat posed by ISIS.

Keep in mind, it seems as if this President is inclined, anytime there is a problem out there, let's drop a bomb here and let's do something over there. That is not a strategy. I stated 1 year ago, on this same day, that the President cannot continue to operate without a clear-cut strategy.

So the congressional authorization for the President is to use all necessary and appropriate force to protect Americans in defending national security in the United States against a threat posed by ISIS and any successor terrorist organization. It allows the President to use all tools available and necessary to defeat ISIS, with flexibility to adjust efforts as the terrorist organization evolves. So this is not just limited to any boundaries. As you know, there are no boundaries with ISIS. It is not just Syria, it is not just Iraq. This is something that is spread all over. It is huge, and it is a threat unlike anything we have seen in our country before.

So I am asking my good friends--I have already talked to several friends on the Democratic side and the Republican side--to join me, and I think hopefully we will be able to do it.

It is estimated that 12,000 foreign fighters have joined ISIS, about 2,500 of which hold Western passports to give them easy access. What is going to happen is they will come back and be trained terrorists. I think that is a major issue that I want to at least have announced.

I have introduced this resolution. It is out there right now and we are going to be asking for support.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for up to 20 minutes as in morning business.

Madam President, it has been 22 days now since Hamas began its most recent campaign of terrorist attacks against the innocent citizens of Israel. Since the operation began, 32 tunnels have been uncovered that would have been used to attack Israel. On Saturday and Sunday--this past Saturday and Sunday alone--almost 100 rockets were fired at Israel. In the Gaza strip, since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge--that would have been July 8--there have been over 2,000 Hamas rockets fired into Israel, with Tel Aviv and Jerusalem both targets.

Israel has responded, as any nation protecting its people would, with air strikes and ground troops to silence these Hamas terrorists. Israelis are tough. I have to remind people all the time that since their independence back in the 1940s, they have been attacked--Israel has been attacked--six different times.

Remember how they were outnumbered in the Six-Day War in 1967. They won. They prevailed. Then again, the same thing in Yom Kippur--that was in 1973. Again, they prevailed. I have often kidded with them--I have told Prime Minister Netanyahu this, that the Israelis consider a fair fight being outnumbered two to one. So they are a great bunch of people. We have got to continue to support them.

The Hamas terrorists are not only killing Israelis; they are killing their own people too because they place their rocket launchers--we see this is happening, just yesterday we saw a picture of this--in the middle of their own population centers. We are talking in homes, in hospitals, in mosques. Like the cowards they are, they use civilians as human shields. Despite Israel's extensive precautionary behavior and measures to avoid collateral damage, casualties, unfortunately, have occurred. Hamas bears complete responsibility for the civilian deaths.

As Prime Minister Netanyahu said: Israel is using missile defense to protect our citizens, and Hamas is using their civilians to protect their missiles. To date, the Israeli missile defense system, called the Iron Dome, has

successfully intercepted over 400 Hamas rockets headed toward the populated areas in Israel. I was just in Israel last month. I visited the Iron Dome battery. You see, there has to be a place where they initiate these protective devices. Here they are over there. I was so impressed with the young Israeli troops who operate it in the southern city of Ashkelon. The same battery you see on TV every night intercepting Hamas rockets comes from the Gaza Strip, 13 kilometers away.

I have a picture here I want the Presiding Officer to look at. This beautiful young first lieutenant in the Israeli Army I met. She is the one in charge of the Ashkelon battery down there. She is doing her duty right now as we speak, bravely protecting her fellow citizens. Her name is Lee Shmulevitch. I salute her.

It gives people an idea of the commitment that is being made by the Israeli people and the successes they are having. As ranking member, which I am, of the Armed Services Committee, I am proud to say I have been a constant supporter of the Iron Dome, which we have done on a nonpartisan basis. We have put in the authorization for $175 million in this last authorization bill. Then we added another $176 million that would take care of not just the Iron Dome but also other systems that we have such as David's Sling and Arrow 3.

These are jointly developed by the United States and Israel. I think it is important that people understand. I have heard people say: Well, you are just sending all this stuff over from us to Israel. If that were true, it would be worth doing it anyway, because they are looking out after our interests. Those things which they are not able to do in the Middle East we would have to be doing with our equipment, with your young people.

This is not the case. They have a lot of brave people over there. In the case of the Iron Dome, of David's Sling, of Arrow 3, and of a lot of the UAVs, their technology is technology that we use. So it is not something that we are doing for them. We are doing it mutually for each other.

I think it is important also to note at this point that--and nobody seems to put this together--Hamas would not have the rockets and capability of trying to kill all of these Israelis if it were not for Israel's greatest threat, and that is the country of Iran. Quite frankly, I think Iran is the greatest threat to the United States also. A lot of people do not realize this, but back in 2007 our--at that time it was classified--Our intelligence said that by 2015, Iran would have the weapon and a delivery system. Well, that is only 6 months from now.

That has been reconfirmed in our unclassified intelligence starting in about 2010. So right now it is really Iran that is responsible for what Hamas has been able to do. I might ask the question: What is President Obama doing? His rush to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran has undermined years of bipartisan sanctions that were working. We have sanctions, not just by us but by European countries and other countries that have really brought Iran down--not to their knees, because they are still developing their weapons. But nonetheless, they were working.

As part of the President's agreement--this is what he is doing right now. His agreement is to reduce Iran's sanctions, as he announced in January. He has endorsed Iran's right to enrich uranium. So let's stop and think about it. This is a deal he has cut. He said: All right. We will pull off our sanctions so you will be able to receive the benefit of that. At the same time we are going to let you go ahead and continue to enrich uranium.

He has allowed Iran to keep 19,000 centrifuges while unlocking $7 billion in assets. These are assets that were held which they can now use to their benefit. He has just extended the deal by agreeing to provide Iran with an additional $2.8 billion in frozen assets. That brings the $7 billion up to almost $10 billion. While Iran is building a bomb, Obama is releasing sanctions.

I believe the Iranians are using negotiations to buy time as they are developing their nuclear weapon. Again, Netanyahu called the President's agreement a ``historic mistake'' that is making the world a much more dangerous place. History is going to prove that he is right. Obama should demand Iran dismantle its nuclear program, but he will not do it. We should reinstate full sanctions now and consider additional sanctions. But President Obama will not do it.

Does anyone really believe Iran is not involved with Hamas and its attacks?

Today, Obama is rewarding Iran by releasing more financial assets to Iran, funding that will be used to support more terrorism against Israel. There is little to show for the administration's reckless gamble for Israel. President Obama is negotiating with an Iranian regime that has repeatedly deceived us and concealed its nuclear program for over 2 decades.

I see nothing different in this deal. Israel lives in a dangerous neighborhood, surrounded by terrorists who refuse to even acknowledge the Jewish state's right to exist. They need all the friends they can get. I keep hearing people talk about the two-state solution. The two- state solution between Hamas and Israel is kind of interesting because Hamas does not consider Israel to be a state. So how can you have a two-state solution if you only have one state? That is the situation.

That is why I want to salute the country of Egypt. There are some other friends that we have over there. I have been upset with some of the Members here in this body because they do not have an appreciation for what Egypt does and the part they play in the Middle East and their support for Israel. Let me tell you, this started a long time ago. The Camp David Accords was in 1979. In the Camp David Accords they made a deal with Israel. Now, you have to keep in mind that this was the military of Egypt. It is hard for people in this country to see that sometimes there is a difference between the administration in a country and the military.

So it is the military here that has said: We will be protecting Israel. We had, not too long ago, an effort from this body to try to stop the shipment of some F-16s that Egypt had already bought. Now, granted, that was back during President Morsi and his radical Muslim Brotherhood. But nonetheless, these were going not to him but to the military. The newly elected President Sisi has destroyed--he is working right along with the Israelis. He has been involved, and his people and his military, in destroying over 90 percent of the tunnels that are going from the Sinai to Gaza.

So I only mention this because those individuals who do not understand this might consider punishing Egypt. If you punish Egypt, you are punishing, to the same degree, Israel.

The turbulent times we face serve as a reminder why the United States and Israel have to continue to work together. The same enemies that threaten the existence of Israel also want to destroy America. Over the years the United States has greatly benefited from the cooperation with Israel on missile defense technologies. We have to continue that critical partnership. Israel is our most faithful ally, our most critical partner in the region, and acts as a roadblock against terrorism, terrorism that would be hitting the United States of America.

The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel and supports its right to defend itself.

Since his first budget, President Obama has been degrading our military while also making the world more dangerous through an apologetic and reactive foreign policy of appeasement. I often quote Hiram Mann, who said:

No man escapes

When freedom fails,

The best men rot in filthy jails;

And they who cried: ``Appease, Appease!''

Are hanged by men they tried to please.

We have to get out of that system. We have to stand by Israel and hang tough with our best friend. We can't survive without them.

I often look back wistfully at the days of the Cold War. That was back when they had two superpowers in the world, the USSR and the United States. We knew what they had, and they knew what we had. We knew what their capacities were, they knew ours.

They had a system called MAD, mutually assured destruction. It meant: You shoot at you, we will shoot at you. You die, we all die, and everyone is happy.

That doesn't work anymore. Now we have these rogue elements out there

that are developing weapons that can wipe out an entire U.S. city. I am about not just the Middle East but about North Korea also.

So we are looking at the Middle East. We are looking at our only way of defending our allies there and working to stop the capabilities of countries such as Iran to have a weapon that would reach the United States of America. So we have to hang tough with our best friend Israel, and I pray that we do.

Mr. President, first, I thank my good friend, the chairman of the committee, Senator Levin.

It is true that we have worked so closely together--not just the two of us but our staffs directly, the minority and majority staff. It is rare that we have a difference of opinion. When we do, we sit down and work things out, debate, and get things done. So there is a reason, as Senator Levin said, that we have passed this bill for 52 consecutive years.

There are a lot of bills that hit the floor, and some are important, some are not. Some are more important to different Members than others. This is important to everybody. There is not one Senator here who doesn't want to pass a defense authorization bill. When Senator Levin mentioned that it passed by 25 to 1--we have been ready to go since that time. That is why we are encouraging people and have been encouraging people to bring amendments down.

Let me mention that I personally went--as did Senator Levin--to both the majority and the minority leader.

They said: Well, go ahead. You have our go-ahead to get these people to bring down their amendments.

This is very important. And I have to say that one of the problems we had last year was there are a lot of Republicans--and I am on the Republican side. A lot of Republicans had amendments that they didn't think were going to be able to get heard. Well, this is their chance to do that right now.

The count as of today is that 94 amendments have been filed. Of that, 73 are Democratic amendments and only 21 are Republican amendments. So I appeal now to the Republicans because what I don't want to happen is for us to come back and maybe go into some type of lameduck session and find ourselves in the same position we were in last year. Now is the time to preclude that from happening by getting their amendments down. I think we can do it. We have 4 or 5 weeks during this August recess for our staff to work on these. As the chairman said, a lot of these are going to be put together and are going to be accepted and be in the manager's amendment--but not unless Members get them down right now.

We know that right now we are probably in the most perilous situation we have ever been in as a country. I sometimes say that I look wistfully back to the days of the Cold War when we had two superpowers and we knew what they had and they knew what we had and we assured certain destruction if they did anything to us. Now there are places led by people with certainly questionable character and abilities. We have North Korea, Iran, and all these countries developing nuclear weapons. Our intelligence is good but not good enough to be able to know when it is going to come our way. So we have to be ready. That is the primary function of this committee.

We rely on all the people making our Nation safe right now, and they are looking at what we are doing. We need to take care of them in training, readiness, pay, benefits. These are things that are going to happen.

The other day the President came out with the OCO request for $59 billion. In there, he mentioned two programs that--frankly, I have never heard of--either one of them. One was $4 billion to go to the Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund, and the other was $1 billion for the European Reassurance Fund. I don't know what these are.

This is the forum we will use when we start debating the NDAA. It is going to be to get to all these programs that are new on the horizon, to see whether we really want to devote any of our scarce resources to some of these programs. We don't know. When we get the bill on the floor, we will know.

It is too important to our troops to do what we did last year. Not passing it will send a terrible signal to them. But I think it is more important to realize how close we came last year to not having the bill by December 31. If we didn't have it by December 31, just think of what would have happened. If we could not have corrected the situation, we would have had combat pay stopping. We would have had incentive pay for some of the doctors and all that come to a conclusion.

We also would have reenlistment bonuses. Looking at the some of our airmen who are flying sophisticated equipment, people don't realize that to train a new person to get to the level of an F-22 costs about $15 million. However, a reenlistment bonus is about $250,000.

So we look at what we can do by doing the right thing and passing the bill.

We have a lot of serious questions we need to debate on problems in Syria, as Senator McCain was talking about a few minutes ago, and Iraq and Ukraine and Afghanistan. That is why we need to have the NDAA tended to, hopefully as soon as we get back from this recess. The later we put it into the year to act, the more likely many of these provisions could be rolled into one massive Omnibus appropriations bill. We all know how that would play out. It would be rammed through the Senate without amendments and open debate. We want transparency. We want people to have an opportunity to bring their amendments out, and the more we can get between now and when we go into this recess, the more it can be worked out by the staff because they are going to be working all during the recess to get this done. We have all these people risking their lives on our behalf. They certainly deserve to have this bill in a well-thought-out manner.

Right before we came on, Senator Casey was talking about the Afghan women and girls, some of the real tragedies that are taking place right now over there. These are things, the language of which we can correct in this bill. So there is no reason to put it off. We don't want to go through what we went through last time, and now is the time to prepare for that, and all we have to do is get the amendments in. No one should complain later on in November or December about not being able to have their amendments heard if they are not out there right now, bringing their amendments now.

With that, it is my understanding that Senator McCain was going to participate in this plea we are making, but he has a statement he will be submitting for the Record.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to Army CPL Gary L. Moore. Corporal Moore died March 16, 2009 of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device blew up next to his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq.

Gary was born on January 18, 1984 in Del City, OK and graduated from Westmoore High School in Oklahoma City, OK in 2003. After graduation, he worked as a mall security guard before enlisting in the Army in January 2007.

Starting his career at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, Gary was reassigned to the 978th Military Police Company, 93rd Military Police Battalion in Fort Bliss, TX, where he deployed to Iraq in June 2008 to help provide training and oversight of the Iraqi police force.

BG David Phillips, the chief of the military police corps, praised Gary's unit for their service and accomplishments in Iraq. He said people in Baghdad are beginning to experience normal lives again because of the work of Moore and others. ``This past fall, when the elementary schools reopened, young girls were able to go to school,'' Phillips said.

Engaged to be married on November 14, 2009, his fiancee Randi Ivie said, ``He loved life. He wasn't a stranger to anyone. He always had a good smile and a strong handshake.''

Funeral services for Gary were held on March 24, 2009 and he was laid to rest with full military honors in Sunnylane Cemetery in Del City,

I reserve the right to object.

Mr. President, I have to say this. The resolution by Senator Klobuchar clearly demonstrates the vast political influence of the President's global warming advocates and what they have been doing over time.

This is not new. This started in this Chamber--let's see, 15 years ago--at the time the Clinton-Gore effort took place in South America and they signed on to the treaty down there. Of course, it never came up to be ratified.

This resolution cites 13 different government agencies that are colluding together to merge their policies to promote global warming, which underscores how effective the environmental activists such as Tom Steyer have been at getting their agenda into the Obama administration.

While some Democrats may be convinced global warming is continuing to occur, the scientific record does not agree. In fact, for the past 15 years temperatures across the globe have not increased. Let's think about that. Is anyone listening here? Temperatures have not increased over the last 15 years. This isn't just--a major magazine had an article on it, ``The Economist'' did, and even the scientists at the

Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to a true American hero, Army SPC Dennis J. Pratt, who died on July 20, 2009, serving our Nation in Maydan Shahr, Afghanistan. Specialist Pratt, SPC Anthony M. Lightfoot, SPC Andrew J. Roughton, and SGT Gregory Owens, Jr., died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle followed by an attack from enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Dennis was born January 7, 1975, in Waterbury, CT. After graduating high school in Southington, CT, he moved to Arizona, Oklahoma, and then Texas, where he joined the military. He married Michelle Bryant on May 9, 2008 in Lawton, OK.

After completing basic training at Fort Sill, OK, Dennis was assigned to 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery (Strike), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, NY. A third- generation soldier and a 34-year-old father of three, Dennis was called ``the old man'' among comrades in his unit.

On January 6, 2009, he was deployed to Afghanistan as a field artillery automated tactical data systems specialist and reenlisted while there. ``Dennis wasn't supposed to be at that place at that time, but he always told us that the Army and serving his country was where he wanted to be. He had found his niche in life in the military,'' said his mother.

Funeral services were held July 31, 2009, at the Fort Sill chapel, and he was laid to rest in Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, OK.

Dennis is survived by his wife Michelle, three children, Collin Kessler, Gabrielle Pratt, and Caden Bryant, parents, Jim and Sinammon Pratt, mother and father-in-law, Fred and Margaret Bryant, two brothers, Jim Pratt and wife Staci and their children Miranda, D.J. and Morgan and Kyle Hansan and wife Nicole and their daughter CaLista, one stepsister, Leanna Pratt, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Today we remember Army SPC Dennis J. Pratt, a young man who loved his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Tony M. Randolph

Madam President, I would also like to remember the life and sacrifices of PO2 Tony M. Randolph, who died on July 6, 2009, of injuries sustained when insurgents utilized improvised explosive devices to attack his convoy in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

Tony was born on September 27, 1986, in Santa Rosa, CA. Growing up in Oklahoma, he was a 2005 graduate of Henryetta High School in Henryetta, OK, where he was a star athlete earning all-district honors in football.

``Tony was a leader. I truly believe he was a natural born leader,'' said Henryetta football coach Kenny Speer. He was known for his toughness. In high school one day, Coach Speer made him run lap after lap. All Tony had to do was say ``yes sir'' for the punishment to end. ``I said, Tony, you say the two magic words to make you stop running. So he looks at me and goes, `Si Senor,' '' said Coach Kenny Speer.

Tony joined the Navy on September 28, 2005, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, IL, in December 2005. Other military assignments include Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA; Naval Dive and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, FL; Naval Explosive Ordnance Device School at Eglin Air Force Base, FL; and Explosive Ordnance Device Training and Evaluation Unit 1 in San Diego,

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute Army PVT John P. Dion. Private Dion and two other soldiers died January 3, 2010 when insurgents attacked their unit with improvised explosive devices and small arms fire in Ashoque, Afghanistan.

John was born February 4, 1990 in Tarzana, CA and moved to Oklahoma during his sophomore year in high school. He joined the Army in June 2009 after graduating from high school in Shattuck, OK where he was on the baseball and football teams.

Upon graduating from basic training at Fort Benning, GA, John was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO. He was deployed to Afghanistan in November 2009.

He is survived by his parents Mark and Patricia Elsner, of Reynolds, GA, two sisters: Kelsey Dion, Reynolds, GA, and Jackie Boals of Cedar Grove, TN, two brothers: Justin Werve of Shattuck, OK, and Mark Elsner of Paris, TN, grandmothers: Jane Elsner of Reynolds, GA and Carol Willoughby of Las Vegas, NV.

Dion's half-brother, Justin Werve, who was deployed to Iraq twice with the Air Force, said he tried talking Dion out of joining the Army, but he couldn't be dissuaded. ``He wanted to serve his country,'' Werve said. ``He did it for the same reason I did it: to make sure his family stayed safe.''

The family held a funeral service for Private Dion on January 16, 2010 and he was laid to rest with full military honors in Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville, GA.

Today we remember Army PVT John P. Dion, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Staff Sergeant Jack M. Martin III

Mr. President, I also would like to honor Army SSG Jack M. Martin III. Sergeant Martin and another soldier died September 29, 2009 when a bomb buried beneath a road detonated while they were helping to resupply a school construction project in the Jolo Islands, Philippines.

Jack, the youngest of five children, was born April 5, 1983 in Maquoketa, IA and later moved to Oklahoma where he played football and was an honors student at Bethany High School, graduating in 2001.

He started out in the Army Reserve where he volunteered to go to Iraq, but when that deployment was canceled he met with a recruiter looking for special forces volunteers. After enlisting and completing the special forces qualification course in 2004, Jack earned his Green Beret and was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, WA.

``Both of his grandfathers served in the Army during World War II. My father was a medic in World War II. I think that influenced him. Jack wanted to serve his country,'' his father said.

He is survived by his wife Ashley, his parents Jack and Cheryl Martin, his brother Abe, and three sisters: Mandi, Amber and Abi.

Today we remember Army SSG Jack M. Martin III, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

First Lieutenant David T. Wright II

Mr. President, I would also like to pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of Army 1LT David T. Wright II. First Lieutenant Wright and another soldier died September 14, 2009 of wounds sustained after enemy forces attacked their vehicle with improvised explosive devices in southern Afghanistan.

Born July 7, 1983 in Norman, OK, David did not let his football and track talent go to waste after graduating from Moore High School in 2002. He went to the University of Oklahoma on a track scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2006.

After completing basic training and officer training, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, WA. On July 21, 2009 he was deployed to Afghanistan as part of II Platoon Bravo Company, 5th Brigade, II Infantry Division; Striker Brigade/Combat Team.

While deployed he wrote home about the honor he felt for his country and his fellow soldiers as they protected a village. He said he had no hard feelings toward the villagers, although some were angry with the soldiers.

``These people deserve a better existence,'' he wrote, ``and hopefully my efforts will help, in a small way, provide that to them.''

That letter was waiting for his parents Tim and Michele, when they returned to Oklahoma after receiving his body.

The family held a funeral service on September 22, 2009, in Norman, OK. He was laid to rest with full military honors in I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

``It was 9/11 that did it for David,'' the Rev. Randy Nail said at his memorial. ``He wanted to do something about it, and he did.''

David is survived by his parents Michele and Tim, of Moore, OK, his uncle Mitchell Scott, and his wife Angie, of Farmington, MN, and cousins, Hunter and Hailey Scott. He is preceded in death by his grandparents Betty and Junior Scott, and his uncle Michael Scott.

Today we remember Army 1LT David T. Wright II, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

What is the general order?

I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for 8 minutes.

Later this week we are going to have the EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy come to our Environment and Public Works Committee to testify about the greenhouse gas rule being developed for existing fleets of powerplants. We know what the rule is for the new powerplants; this is for the existing.

In light of that, it is important to point out that the Senate has been debating global warming for well over a decade, actually around 14 years. The first cap-and-trade bill the Senate debated was when Republicans were in the majority. I was chairman at that time of the Environment and Public Works Committee.

The first bill was the McCain-Lieberman bill which would have set CO2 limits on all utilities that emit at least 10,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year. That was defeated October 30, 2003, by a vote of 43 to 55. That was when I was all alone. Actually, everyone thought eventually something was going to pass and they were all afraid of the issue.

Now times have dramatically changed. Since that time we have had other bills come up. In 2005 we had the same bill by the same authors. It was defeated even at that time by a wider range.

Then in 2008 the Lieberman-Warner bill came up, and it failed also. That was actually when the Republicans had lost the majority. So even with the Democrats as the majority, they were not able to get it through.

Most recently, we debated the Waxman and Markey bill of 2009 which said emissions to facilities over 25,000 tons a year. That bill passed the House, but it was never brought to the Senate for a vote because they knew it would fail.

Each of these bills had one thing in common: Their cost was enormous. We found out--and there was testimony quite some time ago--that if we were to pass cap-and-trade, the cost would be in the area of $300 billion to $400 billion a year.

I do calculations every time I hear a large number and I go back. In my State of Oklahoma, I calculate the number of families who actually file Federal tax returns and do the math. That would cost each family in Oklahoma about $3,000 a year. We know it doesn't make any difference, because the testimony of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, Lisa Jackson, who was appointed by President Obama, said in response to my question on the public record that even if we were to pass something it would not have the effect of reducing CO2 emissions worldwide, because this isn't where the problem is. The problem is in China and other places.

Since this time--and it is not me saying this--Nature magazine, The Economist, and even the IPCC--the IPCC is the United Nations; they are the ones who started this--they admit for the past 15 years there has been no increase in global temperatures. Meanwhile, the CO2 emissions have increased a lot. So obviously it is not warming and that is going back into a normal cycle.

Unfortunately, this hasn't deterred the President from making global warming a key part of domestic policy. What he could not have accomplished through legislation he is now doing through regulations at the EPA, but the American people don't want anything to do with this.

I can remember when the polls were something like the No. 1 or No. 2 issue. The last Gallup poll, this past week, had it as No. 14 out of 15 issues. The Pew Research Center--53 percent of Americans, when asked about the cause of global warming, said they don't believe there is enough evidence to blame human anthropogenic gases or to believe that it is caused by natural variation.

This problem explains why it is difficult for Tom Steyer. On the floor I showed his picture and read the comments he had made. He is raising $100 million to put into campaigns. He has already put up $50 million and has been unable to raise anything close to the next $50 million. So people are not rallying to pour money into this lost cause.

The international community is starting to give up too. I was with the Secretary of Defense of Australia last night, and he was one of them who was very strongly in opposition to the cap-and-trade they adopted in Australia and they have now, as of 1 month ago, repealed it. If you look at other countries, and not only Australia but others that were believing this at one time, are dropping off. So the Australian people should thank the Prime Minister.

It is my hope we will be able to protect the American people from the senseless global warming policies in the United States.

Tomorrow we are going to have a committee hearing, and the momentum has actually gone from the other side.

I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to Army SGT Vinson B. ``Trinity'' Adkinson III. Sergeant Adkinson and three other soldiers died August 31, 2010, when an improvised explosive device blew up next to their vehicle near Forward Operating Base Shank, Logar province, Afghanistan.

Known by family and friends as ``Trinity'' because he was the third Vinson in his family, he was born on December 13, 1983, and grew up in Empire City, OK, before moving in his junior year of high school to live with an aunt in Kansas. His father recalled interest in the Armed Forces was stoked early for Trinity as the first toys his son played with were G.I. Joes.

``He played army outside, he trick or treated as an armyman,'' Adkinson Jr. said. ``Me and him spent a lot of time outside in the woods. He was born to be a soldier.'' Trinity enlisted in the Army immediately after graduating from Chaparral High School in Harper, KS, in 2003.

He started his career with the 82nd Airborne Division followed by serving with the Honor Guard of the 4th Infantry Division. Later assigned to the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team based in Bamberg, Germany, Trinity served three tours in Iraq and was on his second tour in Afghanistan.

``I begged him not to go back,'' said grandmother Mary Adkinson after seeing her grandson earlier this year. She said he told her he needed to return to Afghanistan so that the people of that nation could have peace in their lives.

He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Vinson Bryon Adkinson, Sr., and Robert Allen Morgan, Sr., and is survived by his wife Veronica, father Vinson Bryon Adkinson, Jr., of Comanche, OK, brother Jacob Aaron Adkinson of Stillwater, OK, sister

Mary Kay Adkinson of Wichita, KS, his paternal grandmother Mary Ellen Adkinson of Duncan, OK, and maternal grandmother Sharon Kay Morgan of Wichita, KS.

SGT David Shearouse served with Trinity and was given the task of escorting his remains home. ``He always wanted to take point, he wanted to be the leader,'' he said of his fallen comrade. ``Everybody wanted to be like him. He was a good man. I lost my friend, my brother and my hero.''

The family held a funeral service for Sergeant Adkinson on September 13, 2010, and he was laid to rest with full military honors in Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, OK.

Today we remember Army SGT Vinson B. Adkinson III, a young man who loved his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Sergeant Jason L. McCluskey

Madam President, I would also like to pay tribute to SGT Jason L. McCluskey. Jason was tragically killed in action on November 4, 2010, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire in Zarghun Shahr, Mohammad Agha district of Afghanistan.

Jason was born September 12, 1984, to Jimmy and Delores ``Darby'' McCluskey in Stockton, CA, and later moved to McAlester, OK. As a wrestler at McAlester High School he went to the State championship tournament several times before graduating in 2004. Quoting James Dean in his senior quote, he wrote: ``Dream as if you will live forever. And live as if you will die today.''

Upon enlisting in the Army in April 2006, he was assigned as a paratrooper to the 27th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, NC. ``SGT McCluskey was a true hero to us all,'' said 1SG Randolph Delapena, his company first sergeant. ``He was like my son that I saw come up the ranks to become an elite non-commissioned officer. He was the edge of the sword, he led from the front, and he cared deep down for not only his Soldiers, but every Soldier he came in contact with.''

His mother, Delores Oliveras, said shortly after her son's death that Jason was dedicated to serving in the Army. ``I asked him plenty of times to leave the Army,'' she said. ``But all he would say was, `No, Mom, I really love what I do.' '' Shortly before his death, he was named his battalion's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

McCluskey is survived by his son Landon McCluskey, mother Delores Darby McCluskey Oliveras and her husband Ray, father Jimmy McCluskey, brother Joshua Stambaugh, stepfather Charlie Stambaugh, grandmother Anita McCluskey, grandmother Wilma Kohl and her husband Doyle, mother of his son, Cassie Wright, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as many other relatives, friends, and loved ones too numerous to mention.

A funeral was held on November 12, 2010, at Chaney Harkins Funeral Home, and he was laid to rest in Tannehill Cemetery in McAlester, OK.

``Our Army and nation will be forever indebted to SGT McCluskey for his service,'' said Major General Rodney O. Anderson from Fort Bragg. ``SGT McCluskey laid down his life for his friends, his battle buddies, his unit, our Army and our nation.''

Today we remember Army SGT Jason L. McCluskey, a young man who loved his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Captain David J. Thompson

Madam President, I am also honoring the life and sacrifice of a true American hero, Army CPT David J. Thompson. Captain Thompson died on January 29, 2010, at Forward Operating Base Nunez, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.

Known as John Paul--JP for short--by many, he was born on May 25, 1970, and listed Hooker, OK, as his home of record. In 1989 he enlisted in the Army and completed basic combat training and advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, SC.

John Paul served in a wide variety of jobs during his military career. His first assignment was as a radio telephone operator and team chief for the Regimental Signal Detachment, 75th Ranger Regiment and communications sergeant for the Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, GA. From 1995 to 1998, he served in AK as a rifle squad leader and platoon sergeant with the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. He later served as a staff noncommissioned officer with the Command Operations Center, U.S. Army AK.

From January 1999 to May 2002, while attending East Carolina University, he served with the 514th Military Police Company, NC Army National Guard. In May 2002 he completed a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry and was commissioned as a chemical officer. Following his officer basic course, he was assigned to 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY, as the division chemical logistics officer. In March 2003 he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment and served as a battle captain and rifle platoon leader for his first deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Then, from June 2004 to November 2005, he served as the battalion adjutant and rear detachment commander. From August to December 2008 he served as executive officer for Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and held that position until taking command of Operational Detachment Alpha 3334, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, NC, in January 2009.

Captain Thompson was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, on February 15, 2010.

John Paul is survived by his wife Emily and their two daughters, Isabelle and Abigail of Pinehurst, NC; parents Charles and Freida Thompson of Hinton, OK; and sister Alisa Mueller.

Today we remember Army CPT David J. Thompson, a young man who loved his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Mr. President, I wish to remember the life and sacrifice of Army SGT Andrew R. Looney who died on June 21, 2010 serving our Nation in Lar Sholtan Village, Afghanistan. Sergeant Looney and Army PFC David T. Miller died of wounds sustained when a suicide bomber attacked their traffic control checkpoint.

Andrew was born June 26, 1987 and grew up in Owasso, OK where he graduated from Owasso High School in 2005.

His father, Richard, said as a teen his son developed an avid interest in the military, and he was further inspired by military movies, in particular the HBO series ``Band of Brothers.'' He grew up respecting authority, was ``very compliable'' and took things in stride which made military life a good fit for him. Therefore, it was a natural for him to enlist in the Army immediately after high school.

While deployed to Iraq in August 2007, he was severely wounded from an improvised explosive device and lost part of his right foot. After nearly a year of grueling rehabilitation and receiving a prosthetic at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX he felt a deep sense of patriotism and a burning desire to serve and get back to where he felt he was needed. In 2009 he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Air Assault, Fort Campbell, KY where on April 24, 2010 he deployed to Afghanistan.

The last time the family saw him in April 2009 ``he was looking forward to his assignment in Afghanistan,'' his father said. He thought he ``was making a difference in the war, and was much needed.''

On June 28, 2010, with hundreds of friends in attendance, the family remembered Andrew at Owasso Public School's Mary Glass Performing Arts Center. Before and throughout the service, hundreds of people lined the streets holding up flags in solemn tribute to Andrew.

In 2012, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed Senate Bill 1320 designating the section of highway from 96th Street North to 106th Street North as ``Sergeant Andrew R. Looney Memorial Highway.''

Andrew was posthumously promoted to Sergeant and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

SGT Looney is survived by his parents Martha and Cleo Looney, sister Joanna, and brother, Steven who completed a tour in the Navy in December 2009.

Today we remember Army SGT Andrew R. Looney, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Specialist Jared C. Plunk

Mr. President, I also wish to remember a true American hero, Army SPC Jared C. Plunk who died on June 25, 2010 serving our Nation in Konar, Afghanistan. SPC Plunk and Army SPC Blair D. Thompson died of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire.

Jared was born August 26, 1982 in Liberal, KS. He grew up in the Oklahoma Panhandle town of Turpin where he played football and graduated high school in 2001 before taking college classes at Seward County Community College.

After relocating to Stillwater, OK, Jared and his brother Justin enlisted in the Army in August 2006 where they were bunkmates once again in basic military training. After graduation, he married his wife Lindsay and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Air Assault, Fort Campbell, KY.

Jared's funeral was held July 4, 2010 at the Turpin High School auditorium. Reverend Stan Lehnart remembered him saying ``He was not the valedictorian of Turpin. He was not the star of the football team. He was not the boy the girls wanted to sit next to at assemblies in this auditorium. He is the one who gave his life for us to sit here today. He is the one that served his country. He is a hero.''

Interment was in the Liberal City Cemetery in Liberal, KS.

Preceded in death by his father, Glen ``Tiny'' Plunk, Jared is survived by his wife Lindsay, and two sons, 5-year-old Noah and baby Kason, mother Glenda Willard and her husband Gerald of Maryville, TN, brother Justin Plunk and his wife Caitlin of Norman, Oklahoma, brother Jordan Plunk of Maryville, TN, sister Ranee Massoni and her husband Jordon and their son Gavin of Maryville, TN, and sister Michelle Plunk of Maryville, TN.

Today we remember Army SPC Jared C. Plunk, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Army Staff Sergeant Travis M. Tompkins

Mr. President, I would also like to pay tribute to Army SSG Travis M. Tompkins. Travis tragically died on March 16, 2011 of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade in Logar Province, Afghanistan.

Travis was born November 26, 1979 at Fort Sill, OK to Leland and Vickie Tompkins. An active Boy Scout, he graduated from MacArthur High School in 1999 and enlisted in the Army in January 2000.

He was carrying on a tradition of service in his family that dates back to World War I. His father, Leland Tompkins served for more than two decades in an Army career that began during the Vietnam war and ended in the closing days of the Cold War. ``He was a working soldier,'' Leland said. ``He was a working leader. He cared about his soldiers. He volunteered for everything.''

Moving frequently, Travis' assignments included Fort Sill, OK, Fort Leonardwood, MO, Fort Carson, CO, and Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum, the Netherlands. He married Candice Brown on March 1, 2001 at Fort Carson, CO and was quickly deployed to Saudi Arabia from September 2001 to March 2002.

He arrived at Fort Polk, LA in June 2009 and was assigned to Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. In October 2011 he deployed to Afghanistan with his unit as a military policeman with the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

The couple had recently renewed their vows on their 10th anniversary when he was home on leave. ``It was the most perfect day,'' Candy wrote. ``He was a wonderful man, an excellent soldier and above all the best father and husband and son and brother. I don't know how I'll ever live without him. He was our world.''

A loving husband, father and son, Travis is survived by his wife Candice, two children, Madison and Gianna, parents Leland and Vickie Tompkins of Lawton, OK, sister Jenny Meek and her husband Troy of Fletcher, OK, niece and nephew Megan Meek and Dillon Meek, and his mother and father-in-law Wendy and Tim Brown of Lawton, OK.

His mother Vickie said that the main thing she wanted people who never met him to know is what a great son he was to her and what a wonderful husband he was to his wife Candy, and their children.

Private family funeral services and interment with full military honors were conducted at the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, OK. Travis was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant.

Today we remember Army SSG Travis M. Tompkins, a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Mr. President, I wish to remember the life and sacrifice of a remarkable young man, Army 2LT Jered W. Ewy. Along with one other soldier, Jered died July 29, 2011, of injuries he sustained when his unit was attacked with improvised explosive devices in the town of Janak Kheyl, Paktia Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

After graduating from Putnam City North High School, Jered enlisted in the Army Rangers in 1998 and was one of the first on the ground in Afghanistan after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. He served three tours of duty and then joined the Oklahoma National Guard in 2003 and served as an instructor.

While serving in the National Guard, Jered attended the University of Central Oklahoma pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. ``What I wanted him to do was take the degree and get into law enforcement with the Department of Justice,'' his father, John Ewy said. ``He turned it down because he missed the camaraderie.''

While attending school he taught gymnastics in Edmond, OK. Although he was very involved in the community and truly enjoyed coaching the kids, ``Gym was just kind of a side job while he could finish up school,'' added Dena Edwards. ``I think the military was pretty much where his heart lies.''

In January 2011 he graduated from Officer Candidate School and was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard. He deployed to Afghanistan in June 2011.

``This loss of life has shaken every member of the Oklahoma National Guard to their core,'' said MG Myles L. Deering, Adjutant General for Oklahoma. ``We have lost two very brave men who once raised their hands and took an oath to defend our nation. They courageously gave everything they had to ensure our freedom and safety and their sacrifice will not be forgotten.''

``Jered was a man of integrity, discipline and honor who put everyone else first,'' family members wrote in his obituary. ``He cared deeply about the men he served with but his true passion in his life was his wife Megan and infant daughter Kyla.''

On August 11, 2011, the family held church services at Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, OK.

He is survived by his wife Megan of Edmond, daughter Kyla, mother Martha Nelson of Edmond, father and stepmother John and Ann Ewy of Moore, grandmother Harriet Ewy, siblings, Penny Clark and her husband Rob of Moore, Michelle Davis and her children Hayden, Colton and Cody, and Chad Nelson of Edmond, and many uncles and cousins.

Today we remember Army 2LT Jered W. Ewy, a young man who loved his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Sergeant Anthony Del Mar Peterson

Mr. President, it is my honor to also honor the life and sacrifice of Army SGT Anthony Del Mar Peterson, of Chelsea, OK who died on August 4, 2011, serving our nation in Paktya province, Afghanistan. Sergeant Peterson was assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry, 45th Brigade Combat Team, OK Army National Guard.

Sergeant Peterson died of wounds suffered during a dismounted patrol when a group of insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire in the Zurmat district of Paktya province, Afghanistan. Anthony had previously been deployed to Afghanistan in 2006-2007.

My heartfelt prayers go out to Dakota Justice Peterson, the young son Sergeant Peterson left behind. I remain confident he will grow to learn of his father's heroism; and pray the honor of his father may be carried with pride and cultivate in him, the character of his father.

Upon hearing of Sergeant Peterson's death, MG Myles Deering, the Adjutant General for Oklahoma stated, ``Oklahoma has lost another brave son. Sergeant Peterson was an exceptional Soldier who worked tirelessly to protect the values that we as Americans hold close to our hearts.''

Sergeant Peterson has also been described as an excellent non- commissioned officer and a committed soldier. Another friend has said that he will remember his zest for life, and his passion to lead others to Christ.

Born December 8, 1986 in Sacramento, CA, Anthony graduated from Chelsea High School in 2005 and Rogers State University in Claremore, OK in 2008. He was active in Campus Crusade for Christ, Baptist Collegiate, Rescue (Outreach Program), and Stop Child Trafficking,

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to a true American hero, Army SPC Francisco Briseno-Alvarez who died on September 25, 2011 serving our Nation in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. Specialist Briseno-Alvarez was assigned to Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard.

SPC Briseno-Alvarez died of injuries sustained when the vehicle in which he was riding was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Laghman Province while conducting combat operations. He was 27 years old.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in his family he left behind: his father Javier Briseno, mother Lurdes Alvarez, and siblings Adrian and Diana Briseno.

Francisco graduated from U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City in 2003. He enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard on September 11, 2010 and served as a motor transport operator in the 700th Brigade Support Battalion and then with the 1-279th Infantry Regiment.

As evident from reading through quotes from friends and family, Francisco touched people's lives in remarkable ways:

Brenda Fetzko, a neighbor said, ``I know he loved his mother very much so'' and was a good man and had a strong connection to his family. ``He was a very good person and was just getting his life going.''

Ruben Gonzalez, a friend said, ``Paco was a very nice man, and I am proud to say that he was my friend from high school and after. . . . I'm very proud of you Francisco.''

Juan Cerano, a cousin said, ``He died doing the right thing. He died serving and protecting his country. He was like the brother I never had. There's always going to be a part of him in our hearts.''

MG Myles Deering, the Oklahoma Adjutant General said, ``My thoughts and prayers are with the Briseno-Alvarez family and those of our wounded heroes. SPC Briseno-Alvarez answered the call to serve this great Nation and help defend it. His loyalty and ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our Country will never be forgotten.''

A true warrior, Francisco died while participating in tough and demanding combat operations. This fight took Francisco from us prematurely, but make no mistake; it is a fight we will win. We must continue our unwavering support for the men and women protecting our Nation and allies.

I extend our deepest gratitude and condolences to Francisco's family and friends. Francisco lived a life of love for his family and country. He will be remembered for his commitment to and belief in the greatness of our Nation. I am honored to pay tribute to this true American hero who volunteered to go into the fight and made the ultimate sacrifice for our protection and freedom.

Army Specialist Christopher D. Gailey

Mr. President, it is my honor to also remember Army SPC Christopher D. Gailey. Chris and PFC Sarina N. Butcher, 19, of Checotah, OK, lost their lives November 1, 2011, in Laja Ahmad Khel, Paktia province of Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their military vehicle during a supply mission.

Born September 15, 1985, in Bartlesville, OK, Chris attended Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, MO, before returning and graduating with the class of 2005 from Caney Valley High School in Ramona, OK.

Those who knew Chris said he was a man who ``loved his country, loved America and loved his family.''

Eager to join the National Guard, he enlisted in June 2004 before graduating high school and was assigned to the 700th Brigade Support Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, OK. Previously deployed to Iraq in 2007 to 2008 as a motor vehicle operator, he departed for Afghanistan in June 2011.

The Oklahoma National Guard family is deeply saddened by the loss of these two outstanding citizen-soldiers,'' MG Myles L. Deering, the Adjutant General for Oklahoma, said in a news release. ``Their commitment and willingness to serve our nation during a time of war is indicative of their tremendous character and courage. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and those that continue to serve our country in Afghanistan.''

Survivors include his parents Shan and Tammy Gailey of Ochelata, OK, his daughter Allison Marie Gailey of Bartlesville, one brother Beau Dugan of Merriam, KS, two sisters Angelina Janelle Niko of Bartlesville and Kristina Jeanette Gailey of Stillwater, OK, his paternal grandmother Lela Belle Gailey of Marshfield, MO, his maternal grandparents Carl Eugene Maples and his wife Carol of Joplin, MO, one uncle Jesse Robert Gailey, four aunts: Barbara Jane Foster, Shawn Dee Adams, Manya Alice Maples, and Sonya Jolene Hamblin,

and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

``Keep good memories of him,'' his father Shan Gailey said. ``Keep him in your heart.''

Funeral services were held on November 12, 2011 in the Bartlesville Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Full military rites were conducted by the Oklahoma National Guard and interment was in the Ochelata Cemetery in Ocheleta, OK.

Today we remember Army SPC Christopher D. Gailey, a young man who loved his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

Army Staff Sergeant Allen R. McKenna, Jr.

Mr. President, I also wish to remember a remarkable young man, Army SSG Allen R. McKenna, Jr. Robby died February 21, 2012 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Robby was born July 17, 1983 in Oklahoma City, OK and graduated from Noble High School, where he met his wife Lindsey. He enlisted in the Army in September 2004 and was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO.

The military was a natural choice for him, and he took college courses to advance his military career, his mother said. ``He had his clothes ironed by 5 a.m. That boy loved it,'' she said. ``He just always had a love for the military, the discipline and the way they hold their head high.''

His second tour of duty to Afghanistan began on September 6, 2011. While deployed he was able to come home in December 2011 to witness the birth of his youngest child Waylon.

``He was the greatest father my boys could ask for. He was a great husband who loved us all very much. It makes me sad to know we won't grow old together, but he lived a beautiful life and (he) gave me three of the most beautiful things I could ask for,'' his wife Lindsey said.

His mother said she looked forward to getting calls from her son while he was in Afghanistan. ``I learned very quick when a phone call came in at 3 a.m. to jump up and answer it,'' Mitchell said. ``He would call and play his guitar and sing me a song he had written.''

On March 6, 2012, Robby was laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery in Purcell, OK. Oklahoma Governor, Mary Fallin ordered flags on State property to fly at half-staff on March 6, 2012 in honor of Robby.

Robby is survived by his wife Lindsey McKenna of Purcell, three sons: Allen Robert McKenna III, Michael ``Mickey'' McKenna, and Waylon Roan McKenna, and the only girl in the family, his pet cat ``Scat;'' father and stepmother, Allen and Pam McKenna of Purcell, grandparents Bill and Charlotte McKenna of Alex, Alvie and Cleta Mitchell and Grace Cummins of Noble, OK; three brothers and their families, Billy and Jamie Bingenheimer of Little Axe, OK, Bobby and Charlene Bingenheimer of Purcell, OK, and Scotty and Lenette McKenna of Anchorage, AK, one sister Jessi McKenna of Purcell, OK, stepfather Lamar Bingenheimer, step-grandparents Frankie and Mary Rinehart of Purcell, OK, father-in- law,Donnie Jones of Noble, OK, mother-in-law Donya Jones of Norman, OK, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Today we remember Army SSG Allen R. McKenna, Jr., a young man who loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.