Floor Statements

Madam President, I rise today in support of America's great ally, Israel. Israel is more than an ally; she represents hope in the Middle East, hope for the world.

I actually visited Israel 2 weeks after October 7, after that attack, visited with a bipartisan delegation not only to Israel but throughout the Middle East.

Remember that Israel was created after the Holocaust so that the Jewish

people would never have to hide again. This is something that former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer talked to us about during our visit.

A colleague of mine shared that his daughter asked him right after 9/ 11: Are we safe?

The truth is that October 7 was similar to our 9/11. However, there is also a large difference. On October 8, Israel knew exactly who the perpetrator was. They knew exactly where they were. They were just miles away--their neighbor. It is like if we woke up on September 12, 2001, and we had the terrorists who had masterminded the attacks of 9/ 11 living next door in Brooklyn. Additionally, they said they would come back again and again and again and again until they eradicated the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

That is the proximity and the gravity of the threat that Israel faces. It is literally at their doorstep. And, bottom line, they can't tell their daughters that they are safe right now.

Madam President, 291 days--over 9 months--have passed now, but we can't forget what happened on October 7. Make no mistake, what Hamas did was pure evil.

They murdered entire families, beheaded babies, dragged grandparents--some, Holocaust survivors--from their wheelchairs to a brutal death. They raped women. They took mothers and daughters hostage after slaughtering their fathers and brothers. They held innocent people hostage and used them as human shields.

As I think about this as a mom, I can't imagine the agony that parents were going through knowing that their children, their loved ones, are being held hostage and used as human shields. I think about the moment when they talk about parents being murdered in front of their children, children being murdered in front of their parents. How could anyone be so evil?

There is no doubt that ``never again'' is now, and not just overseas--unfortunately, here at home. Look no further than the disgusting pro-Hamas anti-Semitic protests that have taken place on college campuses, in cities across our Nation, and today in our Nation's capital.

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu came before Congress and asked us to do what we promised: to stand behind Israel, to stand behind the Jewish people.

America cannot be a country of broken promises. We cannot let our allies down. We cannot be viewed as a country that is weak and unreliable around the world. We must stand strongly with Israel and show her support not just in normal times, but when she needs us the most.

Israel has more than a right to defend herself; she has an obligation. She has an obligation to freedom-loving people around the world, as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, and to the very people that she serves.

Israel must ensure that this never happens again. America can and must help Israel fulfill that mission, help to bring every single hostage home, and help to bring about sustainable peace and more prosperity there in the Middle East.

Remember, Hamas doesn't just want to destroy peace in the Middle East; they want to destroy Israel and wipe the Jewish people off the face of the planet.

We also have to remember who funds and fuels Hamas. It is time to use every tool in our toolbox to dry up Iran financially. We have done it before under the Trump administration, and I know we can do it again. This isn't complicated. The more money that Iran has--they use it for nuclear proliferation, and they use it to fund terrorism. They fund Hamas in Gaza; they fund the Houthis in Yemen; and they fund Hezbollah in Lebanon. We know what that means for Israel, and, frankly, we know what that means for America.

It is past time to reestablish credibility in America and its deterrence. We will only achieve peace through strength, and that means giving Israel everything she needs to permanently end the threat of Hamas.

As I listened to Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech today, I was in awe of the Israeli people's courage: the courage to fight for democracy, the courage to secure peace in the Middle East, and the courage to fight for their very existence.

Congress is behind Israel. Alabama, the first State in America to call for the establishment of the Jewish State, stands behind Israel. And the United States of America is behind Israel.

As a Christian, as an American, as an Alabamian, I firmly support Israel, and I am incredibly proud to do so.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Pippa Millstone, an intern in my office, be granted floor privileges until August 2, 2024.

Madam President, I wish to recognize and congratulate Sheriff Huey ``Hoss'' Mack on his retirement as sheriff of Baldwin County, AL, and express my gratitude for his stalwart service to the people of Baldwin County and the State of Alabama.

Sheriff Mack was born in Escambia County, AL, and raised in Baldwin County. His parents owned a funeral home that his wife Sherri Mack helps him operate to this day. Tragically, his grandfather was senselessly murdered in Escambia County in 1982, propelling Sheriff Mack towards a career that would empower him to assist those who have experienced similar losses or are victims of crime. To this end, he attended Faulkner State Community College, where he graduated with an associate degree in criminal justice and served as a student government association representative. He later graduated from Troy University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in human resource management. He also holds a crime scene analyst certification awarded by the International Association for Identification.

Starting his career in criminal justice at the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in 1985, Sheriff Mack served as a medical examiner field agent, investigating and analyzing crime scenes to identify criminals. He was later a forensic investigator and ultimately promoted to chief forensic investigator of the Department of Forensic Science's Mobile Regional Laboratory.

Sheriff Mack began his work at the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office in 1989 as a criminal investigator responsible for crime scene evaluations. By 2004, he was promoted to the rank of captain and designated the chief investigator of the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division. During his career, he has served on a variety of task forces, including the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Blue Lightning Task Force, Baldwin County Major Crimes Task Force, and the Child Abuse Task Force. Sheriff Mack has also consulted with a wide variety of law enforcement agencies, including as a part of the Department of Health and Human Service's Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team in 2001. On September 11, 2001, while still a lieutenant, he was called to respond and arrived in New York City to assist in rescue operations, helping to bring peace and some form of closure to thousands of families whose loved ones were victims of the terrorist attack on our Nation.

The people of Baldwin County, in recognition of his work as an investigator and his wide array of experiences in law enforcement, elected him sheriff in 2006. He would go on to be elected to four more terms, leading the over 100 members of the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office in keeping citizens safe and pursuing justice for victims of crime. During his tenure, he has worked to address violent crime, drug abuse, and the needs of a growing county.

In 2014, he was elected president of the Alabama Sheriff's Association and has remained active in the association since. He also serves on the National Sheriff's Association's board of directors, executive committee, training committee, and immigration and border security committee. He received the Joseph Treadwell Award in 2015 in honor of his work with the Drug Education Council, and he received the Good Government Award from the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce in 2019 for his work leading at the sheriff's office. In 2021, the Alabama Sheriff's Association elected him as its Sheriff of the Year.

His commitment to public service doesn't end at law enforcement, as Sheriff Mack is the former president of the Robertsdale Rotary Club, the former chairman of the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, a former board member of the Baldwin County Economic Alliance, former lay leader of the Robertsdale Methodist Church, and a former board member of the Boy Scouts of America. For this work, he was awarded the Paul Harris Award by Rotary International, the Service Above Self Award, the Rotarian of the Year Award, and was chosen in 2006 as the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year.

On behalf of the people of Alabama, I offer Sheriff Mack my heartfelt gratitude for keeping our citizens safe and wish him a long and happy retirement from local law enforcement with his wife Sherri and with his two sons and grandchildren. I also congratulate him on his upcoming new role as the executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association. His career is defined by above-and-beyond dedication to strengthening law enforcement in Alabama, upholding the rule of law, and protecting the people of Baldwin County with unwavering commitment. We owe him a debt of lasting gratitude for exemplary service to his community and his State.

Mr. President, as Americans, we believe that every person on the planet is created by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Religious freedom is at the top of that list, and for me, I believe it must be protected at every turn.

That is why I continue to be deeply concerned with what is happening in Nicaragua. Since 2018, the Nicaraguan regime has persecuted Christians, including the Catholic Church and various Christian missions and charities. This lawless behavior has only escalated recently.

In December, Nicaraguan police arrested approximately a dozen individuals--mostly pastors--associated with Mountain Gateway. These Christian faith leaders have been unjustly imprisoned since then and were handed down a sham sentence in March. The regime has imposed a fine totaling nearly $1 billion--so that is about 6 percent of that country's entire GDP--along with 12 to 15 years of imprisonment.

Let's be very clear: These Christians are in prison today because of their faith. Their very freedom has been taken away because they chose to preach the Gospel. And the regime doesn't seem to want to stop there. In addition to those arrested and imprisoned, Nicaragua has issued arrest warrants for three more Americans. They are all associated with Mountain Gateway.

Mountain Gateway is an American nonprofit, a faith-based organization that was founded by an Alabamian and is based in Texas. Mountain Gateway recruits, trains, commissions, and sends out ordained Christian ministers to spread the Gospel.

In Nicaragua, the organization has advanced God's Kingdom through discipleship, through feeding and clothing those in need, through providing assistance after natural disasters and sharing the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. These individuals doing this work should be celebrated, not persecuted.

Earlier this year, I joined a bicameral group of colleagues in criticizing Nicaragua's regime and this egregious violation of religious freedom. Led by Congressman Robert Aderholt and Congressman Barry Moore, Alabama's entire congressional delegation has been united against this and on this very important bipartisan issue.

We have written letters. We introduced resolutions in both Chambers of Congress, and we called on the Biden administration to utilize all sanctions enforcement powers and leverage in any diplomatic way. Any options that are in the toolbox should be used to force Nicaragua to remedy the situation.

Today, I want to emphasize that we cannot and we will not stop speaking up against this religious persecution in Nicaragua. We are calling on the Biden administration to do more now. This regime must stop targeting American citizens, and it needs to begin faithfully upholding religious freedom in compliance with international law and universal standards of human rights.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, first, I would like to thank my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Lankford, for putting this together today, showing that we are truly the party of life, the party of parents, the party of families.

I would also like to thank my colleague from Florida, Senator Rubio, and my colleague from North Dakota, Senator Cramer, for joining me in introducing the MOMS Act.

I also appreciate the 20 additional Republican colleagues who cosponsored this commonsense legislation.

The MOMS Act is straightforward. It stands for ``More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed.'' That is exactly what this bill would secure. As a mom, I know that there is no greater blessing in this world than that of being a mother.

And I understand many of the challenges that women face during their pregnancy journey and while raising their kids. And that is why I was proud to introduce the MOMS Act.

The MOMS Act would provide critical support for women during simple challenging phases of motherhood. It includes the prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood development stages. At the end of the day, this legislation would help mothers and their children thrive.

Let's walk through the three sections of the bill.

First, the MOMS Act would establish pregnancy.gov. This new website would feature a wide range of resources available to expecting and postpartum moms as well as moms and families with young children.

Unfortunately, some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have put out flagrantly false, outlandish information about this part of the bill. These partisan smears have been debunked by several independent fact checks. But I also want to set the record straight right now.

First, visiting this website is 100 percent voluntary.

Next, no one would have to disclose personally identifiable information to use it or to access the list of its resources. There is no database of women created; there is no registry established; and there is no tracking involved.

So why did Democrats make up these absurdly false claims? To be honest with you, I can't quite wrap my head around it.

In my 18 months in this body, I probably have never been more disappointed. I understand that we come to things from different perspectives, but to create outlandishly false and absurd things about this bill was truly a bridge too far. But ultimately, they know they can't publicly oppose what is actually in the bill.

Here are the types of resources pregnancy.gov would connect women and families to. And I am going quote some exact texts of the bill.

So mentorship opportunities, including pregnancy and parenting help, help and well-being services, including women's medical services. This includes OB-GYN services, primary care, dental care, and mental health services, financial assistance, work opportunities, childcare resources, foster care resources, adoption services, education opportunities for parents.

I could go on.

It also includes material or legal support. That material support includes: transportation, food, nutrition, clothing, household goods, baby supplies, housing, shelters, maternity homes, help with tax preparation, and more.

Also, legal support can cover: child support, family leave, breastfeeding protections, and custody issues.

I could keep listing examples of resources, but we would be here for a while.

Next, I want to touch on the second part of the bill. So this part of it would actually create two separate grant programs.

One grant program would help purchase necessary tools for prenatal and postnatal telehealth appointments, including medical equipment and technology for those in rural areas and other medically underserved areas. And the second program would establish a grant program for nonprofit entities to support, to encourage, and to assist women through their pregnancies, and to care for their babies after birth.

The grant program would be funding many of the resources I just named: mental health services, other medical care, childcare, housing assistance, education and employment assistance, and nutritional assistance.

And, finally, the third part of the bill is Senator Cramer's Unborn Child Support Act. It would require States to apply childcare support obligations to the time period during pregnancy if it was requested by the mother. This would be requested retroactively. And State-level requirements involving proof of paternity would still apply.

The legislation is further evidence that you can absolutely be pro- life, pro-woman, and pro-family all at the same time. The MOMS Act advances a comprehensive culture of life. It grows and strengthens families and ensures that moms have the opportunities and the resources needed so that they and their children can thrive and live the American dreams.

It is a perfect example of why I believe that the Republican Party is the party of families. What you are going to hear after I make my motion to pass the MOMS Act will be very telling about whether or not Democrats can say the same thing of their party.

They are about to answer that question: Are they more interested in scaring women and families or helping women and families? Personally, I am proud to support women throughout the seasons of motherhood, and I am honored to lead this pro-life, pro-woman, pro-family legislation.

Mr. President I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of S. 4296 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I have a great deal of respect for my colleague from Minnesota. However, I am disappointed that Senate Democrats have blocked the MOMS Act from passing today. It is a commonsense bill that would help vulnerable women and help families. My Republican colleagues are going to continue to fight for tangible solutions like this bill that do just that.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize Mrs. Ruby Mae Price Womack of Greenville, AL, ahead of her 100th birthday.

The daughter of Nobie Davis and Foster Price, Ruby was born on July 17, 1924, in Greenville. She is the proud mother of three sons Anthony, Chris, and Vince; grandmother to six; and great-grandmother to four.

Ruby attended school in Butler County before graduating with her undergraduate degree from Alabama A&M University and her master's degree from Alabama State University. She became an educator herself, teaching in the Butler County school system for over 40 years.

Ruby is also dedicated member of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, where she has been playing piano since the age of 8. Incredibly, Ruby never received formal lessons and learned to play by ear. She continues to serve as an active member of the Greenville civic community to this day.

On behalf of the people of Alabama, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations and sincere well wishes to Ruby. I wish her a very happy birthday, surrounded by friends and family, and many more celebrations to come.

Mr. President, I was proud to join my colleague from Texas in introducing the IVF Protection Act. I am grateful for his leadership on this important topic.

As a mom, I know firsthand that there is no greater joy in this life than that of being a mother. IVF helps aspiring parents across our Nation experience the miracle of life and start and grow a family. That is why I strongly support continued nationwide IVF access. IVF access is fundamentally pro-family. For the millions of Americans who face infertility every year, IVF provides the hope of a pathway to parenthood.

We all have loved ones, whether they are family members or friends, who have become parents or grandparents through IVF. Across America, about 2 percent of babies born are born because of IVF; that is about 200 babies per day. So think about the magnitude of that number and the faces and the stories and the dreams it represents. In recent decades, millions of people have been born with the help of IVF. Along with my colleague Senator Cruz, I was honored to lead Senate Republican colleagues in a joint statement emphasizing our shared support in continued nationwide access to IVF.

IVF is legal and available in every single State across America. That includes my home State, where Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature acted quickly and overwhelmingly earlier this year to protect IVF access for our State's families.

Today, the Senate has an opportunity to act quickly and overwhelmingly to protect IVF access for our Nation's families. That is what the IVF Protection Act would do. It is straightforward, just as Senator Cruz has said. The bill would give aspiring parents nationwide the certainty and peace of mind that IVF will remain legal and available in every single State.

Now, I want to break this down as directly as possible. First, there is only one bill that would protect IVF access and not stray outside those parameters; that is our IVF Protection Act. There is only one bill that would protect IVF access while safeguarding religious liberties; that is our IVF Protection Act. And there is only one bill to protect IVF access that could get 60 votes in the Senate, and once again that is our IVF Protection Act.

However, that is not the bill that Democrats are going to be putting on the floor this week. Sadly, they aren't interested in a bill to actually protect IVF access and figuring out how we could get that to become law. That wouldn't advance their true goal, which is about partisan electoral politics. If Democrats allowed the IVF Protection Act to pass today, they would lose a key scare tactic they believe helps them in November, and that, ultimately, is what this is all about.

They are in week two of their summer of scare tactics, and eventually they are going to transition to a fall of fearmongering.

At the end of the day, the American people want secure borders; they support safe streets; they want stable prices; and they want strong families. My colleagues across the aisle know that they can't sell the Biden administration's record on any of these topics. It has been failure after failure yet again.

So instead, they have to rely on distorting and misrepresenting Republicans' positions on issues, including our support for IVF access. The bottom line is, the American people deserve better, and there is no better path out there than our bill, the path of common-ground solutions, not show votes or scare tactics.

Again, I want to applaud the leadership of my colleague from Texas. Senator Cruz has been a champion as we work to make sure that the world knows that we are going to protect access to IVF. While Democrats prioritize scaring families, Republicans will continue to fight.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 5 minutes prior to the scheduled rollcall vote.

Madam President, this week, my colleagues across the aisle will start their summer of scare tactics. Unfortunately, this is continuing the campaign of fearmongering we have already seen.

Contraception is available in every State across the Nation. And, of course, I want to be absolutely, 100-percent clear that I support continued nationwide access to contraception, but that is not the purpose of the bill my colleagues across the aisle are bringing to the floor on Wednesday. Once again, the bill tramples on foundational religious liberty protections that have long been bipartisan and truly should remain bipartisan, and my colleagues across the aisle know that. The goal of my Democratic colleagues right now is to scare the American people--to scare women--across our great Nation. It is not that they believe that there is a problem they are truly trying to solve; they are prioritizing their own short-term, partisan, political interests. Sadly, this only does a disservice to the very families and the very women we should be trying to find common ground to help. We saw the false fearmongering with the MOMS Act. We have already seen it with issues like IVF.

Just like nationwide access to contraception, I want to make it clear

that Republicans support continued nationwide access to IVF.

I look forward to discussing this more next week, as, unfortunately, my Democratic colleagues will continue their summer of scare tactics.

The Republican Party is the party of families, and we are going to continue fighting to support the rights and freedoms of families across America.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, first, I would like to say thank you to my colleague from South Carolina for his leadership on this critical issue.

The Laken Riley Act is the bipartisan border bill that should be on the Senate floor today. I am proud to be the lead Senate sponsor of this critical legislation along with my colleague from North Carolina.

The Laken Riley Act passed the House of Representatives in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion. The gentleman from Georgia, from Congressional District 10, secured 37 Democratic votes for this bill on the House floor, and here in the Senate, this bill is bipartisan and has a cosponsor list of 47 Senators. I am confident that a bipartisan majority of Senators supports the Laken Riley Act and would vote for it today. The House already did its work in a bipartisan fashion on this legislation, and now it is our turn here in the Senate. Frankly, it is well past time.

We should send this bipartisan bill to the President's desk immediately. If this bill had been the law of the land, Laken Riley would still be alive today. Now this body has an opportunity and a responsibility, in my opinion, to prevent this kind of unimaginable tragedy from happening to more families across America.

The Laken Riley Act is straightforward. It says that ICE would be required to detain and deport illegal aliens who commit theft offenses. It would also allow States to seek an injunction against any action taken by the Secretary of Homeland Security or

the Attorney General that violates immigration law to the detriment of the State or its citizens.

My colleague from South Carolina has been at the forefront of exposing the Biden administration's unprecedented abuse of immigration parole, which is directly relevant to the Laken Riley case.

Under the Trump administration and the Obama administration, parole was granted at our southern border, on average, to fewer than 6,000 people a year. However, under President Biden, grants of parole have skyrocketed, and now we know that over 1.3 million people have been paroled in the past year. One of those grants of parole went to Laken Riley's alleged killer after he crossed the southern border illegally in 2022. This abuse of parole continues to have devastating consequences for families and communities in every corner of our Nation.

President Biden could stop this abuse of parole today, if he wanted to, but he doesn't, and he won't. The President refuses to reverse course. It is past time to force his hand on that and pass the Laken Riley Act. It will secure our homeland. It will help to safeguard our streets. It will help to defend our families.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I wish to recognize and congratulate LTG A.C. Roper on his retirement as the Deputy Commander of the United States Northern Command and Vice Commander of the American element of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. I know that I speak for people across Alabama in expressing my gratitude for his countless contributions to our Nation. General Roper, a native of Birmingham, earned a bachelor's degree at Troy State University, a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Alabama, and a master of strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. He has served a total of 42 years, between Active and Reserve, including deployments to combat zones, as well as disaster response. In addition to his distinguished military service, General Roper's public service to his community includes 33 years of law enforcement service in Montgomery, Hoover, and Birmingham, where he served as the chief of police. His legacy of dedicated service to his community, State, and Nation is deserving of the highest honor and admiration. General Roper's remarkable military career began when he was commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1983 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His military education includes the Chemical Officer Basic and Advance Courses, Public Affairs Officers Course, Equal Opportunity Advisors Course, Inspector General Course, Combined Arms Staff Services School, Command and General Staff College, Joint Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Defense Support to Civil Authorities Course, National Defense University's CAPSTONE Course, the NORTHCOM Joint Task Force Commanders Course, and Harvard University's National and International Security Seminar. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the FBI National Executive Institute, where he served as an adjunct professor of criminal justice. He specialized in protecting critical infrastructure and served on the executive board of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. General Roper's other general officer level assignments included Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort Bragg, NC, and

Deputy Chief, Army Reserve, Office of the Chief of Army Reserve, headquartered at the Pentagon, Washington, DC. Prior to this assignment, he commanded the 76th Operational Response Command in Salt Lake City, UT, which was the USAR's all hazard response command. He also served as Commanding General--80th Training Command (OPCON to TRADOC), Acting Deputy Commanding General--CBRN, 335th Signal Command, and Commander of the 415th CBRN Brigade, where he was dual-hatted as the Task Force Operations Commander, JTF-51, ARNORTH for the C2CRE-A homeland response mission. During General Roper's service, he deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield, to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and supported Joint Task Force Andrew relief operations in southern Florida. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oakleaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oakleaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Combat Action Badge, and various other accolades. He also served as a principal member of the Secretary of the Army's Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee and the Secretary of Defense's Reserve Forces Policy Board. On behalf of the people of the great State of Alabama and our Nation, I offer Lieutenant General Roper my heartfelt thanks and wish him a long and happy retirement with his wife Edith and their two daughters. His career is defined by extraordinary devotion to the safety and security of his community and country. We truly owe him a debt of gratitude for his exemplary service to Alabama and the United States of America.

Madam President, I wish to recognize and honor Alabama's longest continuously broadcasting station, WVTM 13, on its 75th anniversary.

WVTM 13 originally began as WAFM-TV, an affiliate of CBS, on May 29, 1949, becoming the first television station to broadcast in the Birmingham area and across our entire State. For over seven decades, the central Alabama region has benefitted greatly from WVTM's legacy of local reporting.

A few iterations later, the station's call letters became WVTM for ``Vulcan Times Mirror'' on March 28, 1980, and have remained for decades. The ``V'' references the location of the station, on top of Red Mountain at Vulcan Park, and Vulcan statue, the largest cast iron statue in the world that exemplifies Birmingham's important iron and steel heritage.

Similarly, WVTM represents a significant piece of central Alabama's history, as well as its future. I am confident that just as this station has diligently served our local communities for 75 years, WVTM will serve Alabamians for the next 75 years.

From the station's founding to current leadership under Susana Schuler, WVTM has benefited from incredible professionals and stewards of its community. Now an affiliate of NBC, WVTM embodies its mission under Hearst Television each and every day to provide quality local news and information in an independent, fair, and unbiased manner.

On behalf of the people of Alabama, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the reporters, television anchors, video editors, producers, and entire WVTM staff who remain committed to broadcasting accurate, timely news to the communities they serve. Alabamians are proud to invite WVTM into their homes each and every day because the station has truly earned their trust through decades of diligence and excellence. Thank you, WVTM 13, for 75 years of exemplary service to our State.

Madam President, I will continue reading Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from the Birmingham jail:

When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the

bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago, I felt

we would be supported by the white church. I felt that the

white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be

among our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright

opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and

misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been

more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind

the anesthetizing security of stained glass windows.

In spite of my shattered dreams, I came to Birmingham with

the hope that the white religious leadership of this

community would see the justice of our cause and, with deep

moral concern, would serve as the channel through which our

just grievances could reach the power structure. I had hoped

that each of you would understand. But again I have been

disappointed.

I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish

their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision

because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white

ministers declare: ``Follow this decree because integration

is morally right and because the Negro is your brother.'' In

the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I

have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth

pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. In the

midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and

economic injustice, I have heard many ministers say: ``Those

are social issues, with which the gospel has no real

concern.'' And I have watched many churches commit themselves

to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange,

un-Biblical distinction between body and soul, between the

sacred and the secular.

I have traveled the length and breadth of Alabama,

Mississippi and all the other southern states. On sweltering

summer days and crisp autumn mornings I have looked at the

South's beautiful churches with their lofty spires pointing

heavenward. I have beheld the impressive outlines of her

massive religious education buildings. Over and over I have

found myself asking: ``What kind of people worship here? Who

is their God? Where were their voices when the lips of

Governor Barnett dripped with words of interposition and

nullification? Where were they when Governor Wallace gave a

clarion call for defiance and hatred? Where were their

voices of support when bruised and weary Negro men and

women decided to rise from the dark dungeons of

complacency to the bright hills of creative protest?''

Yes, these questions are still in my mind. In deep

disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But

be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can

be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes,

I love the church. How could I do otherwise? I am in the

rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the

great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the

body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred

that body through social neglect and through fear of being

nonconformists.

There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the

time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed

worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the

church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas

and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that

transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early

Christians entered a town, the people in power became

disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians

for being ``disturbers of the peace'' and ``outside

agitators.'' ' But the Christians pressed on, in the

conviction that they were ``a colony of heaven,'' called to

obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in

commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be

``astronomically intimidated.'' By their effort and example

they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and

gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the

contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an

uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status

quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church,

the power structure of the average community is consoled by

the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things

as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before.

If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit

of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit

the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant

social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every

day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church

has turned into outright disgust.

Perhaps I have once again been too optimistic. Is organized

religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our

nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the

inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the

true ekklesia and the hope of the world. But again I am

thankful to God that some noble souls from the ranks of

organized religion have broken loose from the paralyzing

chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the

struggle for freedom. They have left their secure

congregations and walked the streets of Albany, Georgia, with

us. They have gone down the highways of the South on tortuous

rides for freedom. Yes, they have gone to jail with us. Some

have been dismissed from their churches, have lost the

support of their bishops and fellow ministers. But they have

acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than evil

triumphant. Their witness has been the spiritual salt that

has preserved the true meaning of the gospel in these

troubled times. They have carved a tunnel of hope through the

dark mountain of disappointment. I hope the church as a whole

will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. But even if

the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no

despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of

our struggle in Birmingham, even if our motives are at

present misunderstood. We will reach the goal of freedom in

Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of

America is freedom.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize and congratulate Jody Singer on her retirement as the Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center and to express my gratitude for her countless contributions to our Nation and to the State of Alabama.

Singer, a native of Hartselle, AL, earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Alabama in 1983. She has completed two NASA fellowships, one at Pennsylvania State University in State College and another at the Simmons College Graduate School of Management in Boston.

Singer began her trailblazing 38-year National Aeronautics and Space Administration career in 1985 through the professional intern program in the mission planning and development office. In 1986, she joined the Space Shuttle Program Office, where she was an engineer in the Space Shuttle Maine engine office. In this role, she was able to aid in Return to Flight activities after the Challenger accident.

From 1990 to 2002, Singer served in various roles in the External Tank project office. These roles included business manager, technical assistant, and deputy manager. From 2002 to 2007, Singer served as the first female project manager for the Reusable Solid Rocket Booster Project, leading the team during the Columbia Return to Flight activities. Additionally, Singer served as the deputy manager in the Space Shuttle Propulsion Office from 2008 until the shuttle's successful retirement in 2011.

From 2010 to 2012, she held deputy positions for three concurrent major programs: the Space Shuttle, Ares, and the start-up of the Space Launch System. As deputy for the Shuttle Propulsion Office, she guided successful fly-out and retirement of the space shuttle in 2011 as the deputy of the Ares Project Office.

From 2013 to 2016, Singer served as manager of the Flight Programs and Partnerships Office at Marshall, where she held primary responsibility for the center's work with human advanced exploration projects, science flight mission programs, technology demonstration missions, commercial crew, and International Space Station life support systems, research facilities and payload operations. Singer also was responsible for identifying opportunities to develop and maintain partnerships with government agencies, academia, and international and commercial partners to help achieve NASA's vision.

Additionally, Singer was integral to the startup of the Space Launch System, SLS. As the deputy program manager of SLS at Marshall, she helped

oversee nearly 3,000 civil servants and contractors involved in developing and testing of the vehicle, the most powerful rocket ever built. In November 2022, as Marshall's center director, Singer led the team through the successful launch of SLS. The historic Artemis I mission restored America's capability to send humans to the Moon, a feat we have not undertaken since 1972.

Singer was appointed in September 2018 as the 14th Director of Marshall Space Flight Center and first female Director. She manages one of NASA's largest field installations, with nearly 7,000 on- and near- site civil service and contractor employees. Prior to being named to the position, Singer served as Marshall's Acting Director starting in July 2018 and was Deputy Director from February 2016 to July 2018, assisting the Director with the daily management of the Center's workforce and operations.

Her awards and commendations throughout her service to NASA are a testament to her dedication to this Nation. She has received multiple NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals and two Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive Awards, the highest honor for career Federal employees. She received the Space Flight Awareness Leadership Award in 2005 for inspiring the Shuttle Propulsion Office to strive for excellence and continuous improvement; and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1993 while managing the External Tank Project's business office. For her unwavering commitment to excellence and achievement in support of the human space program, she received the Silver Snoopy Award from the NASA astronaut corps and was named a Space Flight Awareness Launch Honoree.

Singer has also received numerous external awards and recognitions. This includes the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, Stellar Award; Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame; Distinguished Fellow by the University of Alabama College of Engineering; Federal Asian Pacific American Council--FAPAC--Outstanding SES Leadership Award; Women in Leadership, and Morgan County Hall of Fame; Gardner Award (2020); 2022 AIAA Associate Fellow and 2022 Engineer of the Year. Singer was named in Alabama Magazine's ``Top 40 Over 40!'' and Business Alabama's ``20 Who Make Alabama Business Tick.'' She serves as a board member for Leadership Alabama and is a member of the University of Alabama President's Cabinet.

On behalf of the people of Alabama and our Nation, I offer Director Singer my heartfelt thanks and a long and happy retirement with her husband Chris, their three children, and five grandchildren. Her career is defined by remarkable innovation and unwavering devotion to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. We owe her a debt of gratitude for her exemplary service to her community, the Marshall Space Flight Center, and her country.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize and congratulate LTG Ronald L. Burgess, Jr., on his retirement as Auburn University's executive vice president and express my gratitude for his many contributions to our Nation and to the State of Alabama.

General Burgess began his career in 1974 when he was commissioned in military intelligence through the Auburn University Reserve Officers' Training Corps Program. He received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Auburn in 1974, a master of science degree in education from the University of Southern California in 1980, and a master of military arts and science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1986. His military education includes the Armor Officer Basic Course, the Military Intelligence Officers Advanced Course, the Command and General Staff College, the Advanced Military Studies Program, and the Air War College.

Early in his career, General Burgess's staff and command positions included assignments in armor and military intelligence units in Berlin, Germany, and at Fort Stewart and Fort Benning, GA, as well as Fort Richardson, AK. Some of his key positions included assistant executive officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Washington, DC, in 1990, and battalion commander, 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, HI, from 1993 to 1994.

Additionally, he commanded the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade in Panama from June 1995 to May 1997, served as director of intelligence, J2, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Fort Bragg, NC, from May 1997 to June 1999, served as the director of intelligence, J2, U.S. Southern Command from June 1999 until May 2003,

and finally served as director for intelligence, J2, for the Joint Chiefs of Staff from June 2003 to July 2005.

In 2005, General Burgess reported to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, where he served consecutively as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Customer Outcomes, Director of the Intelligence Staff, and Acting Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence. On March 18, 2009, General Burgess became the 17th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency until his official retirement from the U.S. Army on September 1, 2012.

After his illustrious 38-year military career, General Burgess returned to Auburn University in December 2012 to serve as senior counsel for National Security, Cyber Programs and Military Affairs, before being appointed as Auburn's chief operating officer in May 2018. He was named executive vice president of Auburn University in June 2019.

His awards and commendations throughout his career speak for themselves. They include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal, (two oakleaf clusters); Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal, (four oakleaf clusters); Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; NATO Medal--former Republic of Yugoslavia; Parachutist Badge; Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge; and Army Staff Identification Badge.

In 2013, General Burgess was awarded the Auburn Alumni Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2015, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and, in 2016, was inducted into the Army ROTC National Hall of Fame.

On behalf of the people of Alabama and our Nation, I offer him my heartfelt thanks and a long and happy retirement with his wife Marta, their five children, Lee, Regina, Julia, Mary, and John, and their 16 grandchildren. General Burgess's career is defined by remarkable devotion and patriotism to his country. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his dedicated and exemplary service.

``War Eagle!''