Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7776, the James Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act.

Providing the authorities and resources our warfighters need to defend our Nation and defeat our adversaries is the greatest responsibility that we have in this Congress. We fulfill that responsibility with this NDAA.

We put our servicemembers first, providing a 4.6 percent pay raise and expanding benefits for military spouses and families.

To counteract the effects of record inflation on our military families, this bill increases housing allowances and lowers prices at commissaries, which offset the skyrocketing costs for rent and food; and it expands eligibility for low-income military families to receive additional allowances to cover basic needs.

This bill also ends the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The mandate has been needlessly forcing out thousands of talented and experienced servicemembers. I am pleased that we have reached an agreement on this.

This bill is also focused on ensuring our warfighters are the best equipped and trained in the world.

We increase funding for readiness, reversing cuts in military construction and housing projects; expanding training availabilities for servicemembers; and improving the safety of the ships, aircraft, combat vehicles, and facilities where our warfighters serve.

We also divest of over $6 billion in the legacy systems that do little or nothing to deter China, or our other adversaries.

We reinvest those savings in emerging technologies, such as IA, quantum computing, hypersonic weapons, and autonomous systems. These are the technologies we need to ensure our warfighters prevail in future battlefields. The threats against us are rapidly evolving.

H.R. 7776 is laser-focused on preparing our military to counter threats from China and our other adversaries. It makes critical investments in new systems capable of surviving in contested environments.

It includes provisions that will further harden our supply chain and industrial base against filtration from China; and it reaffirms our support to allies in the region, especially Taiwan.

Finally, it strengthens our European alliance, as these democracies face grave threats from that crackpot in the Kremlin.

I am very proud that we have, once again, come together in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to fulfill our constitutional duty and produce a fiscal year 2023 NDAA. I urge all Members to support it.

Also, like the chairman, I thank our staff for doing an incredibly good job of helping pull this together. I couldn't have a better partner in running this committee than Chairman Smith. So I thank him very much for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I will concur with my friend and colleague from California. You are going to be missed, not only as a member of our committee but as a Member of this body. We have been fortunate to have had the privilege of serving with you.

Similarly, I would like to recognize my friend and colleague from Missouri, who is also going to be sorely missed. She has been a very valuable member of our committee for a long time and a leader on our committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler).

Mr. Speaker, I do want to say, I am going to miss the gentlewoman from California. She has been a great member of our committee and has really championed some important issues that she just addressed. We will miss her.

I do want to respond to her last remark and make a point. There is nothing in this bill that authorizes leave and paid travel for servicemembers to get an abortion. There is no policy in place in the Department for this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. DeFazio on those icebreakers. It is just inexcusable that we don't have that capability.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve the balance of my time until the chairman is ready to close.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I want to close by thanking Chairman Smith. There is no better partner that I could have, and I am grateful for his leadership.

I also want to thank Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Inhofe. As many know, Jim Inhofe is retiring at the end of this Congress. Throughout his decades of service, he has been a consistent champion for our men and women in uniform. It was very fitting and appropriate that we name this year's NDAA after Jim Inhofe.

Finally, I thank our staff on both sides of the aisle for their tireless work on this product. I thank the staff of legislative counsel and the CBO for their tremendous contributions, as well.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was the 81st anniversary of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. In its aftermath, we built the strongest military in the world with a mission to protect the greatest Nation on Earth. This bill before us today will ensure our military can continue to carry out that sacred mission.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize SPC Solomon Doss.

On the morning of August 13, 2022, while on duty as a Piedmont Police Officer, SPC Solomon J Doss received a call to respond to an active structure fire. When he arrived on the scene with his partner, they saw flames and heavy smoke coming from the house and assessed that there was no time to wait for additional help. On scene, they coordinated briefly with an off-duty officer that had already attempted to gain entry but had been forced to exit due to the severity of the smoke and fire.

Without hesitation, SPC Doss entered the structure in search of the occupant but was forced back out for clean air and to clear his lungs. He then reentered the structure in a

second attempt, during which he located the occupant of the home, an elderly woman that had become incapacitated due to smoke inhalation. SPC Doss and his partner carried her safely out of the structure shortly before it was engulfed in flames, ultimately saving the woman's life.

SPC Doss is the 2022 National Guardsman of the Year for this act of selfless bravery.

SPC Solomon Doss serves with the Alabama National Guard's 1166th Military Police Company and is from Piedmont, Alabama. During the 1166th MP Company's mobilization to Kuwait in 2020, SPC Doss served as a U.S. CENTCOM Customs Border Clearance Agent supporting Operation Spartan Shield.

Outside the National Guard, SPC Doss works as a Patrol Officer at Piedmont Police Department in Piedmont, AL.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing SPC Solomon Doss' act of selfless bravery. SPC Doss represents the best of our community, and I'm honored to recognize him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th birthday of Lillian C. Overton.

Lillian was born October 29, 1922, to James Edwin and Esther Darnell Cooper in Franklin, Alabama. She was one of six children.

On January 29, 1944, she was married to Herman A. Overton in Tuskegee, Alabama, and remained married until his death on April 9, 1996. They were blessed with one daughter, Kathy O. Hadaway.

Mrs. Overton was part owner and operator of M & L Jewelers in Tuskegee in the 1950s and early 1960s.

After selling the jewelry store, she became account manager for Skinner's Furniture Store in Tuskegee until her retirement.

She was a member of Tuskegee First Baptist Church for over 50 years. As an active member, she taught Sunday School, Training Union, Bible Drill and was active in the Women's Missionary Union (WMU).

After her husband's death, Mrs. Overton moved to Opelika, Alabama, and became an active member at First Baptist Church of Opelika (in Sunday School, WMU, and in the Nursery Department). Due to a brief illness in early 2022, she had to relinquish her duties at church.

Prior to COVID, Mrs. Overton volunteered for 38 years at East Alabama Medical Center as a ``Pink Lady'' in Escort Services. This allowed her to meet numerous wonderful people and help others.

She fulfills her most important job by telling others about Jesus, inviting them to church

and talking about her faith and the importance of knowing Jesus Christ.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Lillian and wishing her a very happy 100th birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 98th birthday of Thomas Cleveland.

Thomas was born on October 6, 1923. He spent most of his life in Coosa County, Alabama, but was drafted in April of 1943 at the age of 18. He went to basic training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. While there he was trained in demolition and experienced his first injury. The soldiers were training with TNT and a detonation cap exploded in his hand.

After Camp Shelby, he was off to Camp Kilby, New Jersey, where he boarded a troop ship and headed to Birmingham, England. The trip across the ocean was 14 days and he was seasick for seven of those days recalling the ship rocking back and forth sending him to the deck to hang his head.

Once across the English Channel, he landed on the beaches in Normandy, France, during the second wave of the invasion. It was there he was shot in the shoulder resulting in his first Purple Heart. When he went into the U.S. Army, his mother had given him a small Bible with a metal cover to carry with him. Even today, the Bible has blood stains from the shoulder wound. The bullet is still in his shoulder.

During the Battle of the Bulge, he received another injury and the second Purple Heart.

When asked what he remembers most about War World II, he tells of constantly advancing on the enemy and being separated from his unit when they encountered Germans. Once reunited with his unit, only four soldiers were left in his squad. This is when he received a battle- field promotion from the rank of private first class to sergeant.

Three years after being drafted, the war was over for Thomas and he went back to the United States at Fort Lewis, Washington, to be discharged. After a train ride from Washington to Birmingham, Alabama, he took a taxi back to Hanover, Alabama, where he continues to live today.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Thomas and wishing him a very happy 98th birthday. I thank him for his service to our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Donoho School Lady Falcons for winning the AHSAA Class 2A state volleyball title.

Donoho beat Pleasant Valley to secure their third state title in the past four years. The game was played at Birmingham's Bill Harris Arena on October 26, 2022.

Securing this state title brings the volleyball program to 13 total state championships.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Anna Taylor, the volleyball team, students, faculty and all the fans. Go Lady Falcons.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 40th Anniversary of Comer Museum in the heart of Sylacauga, Alabama.

The Comer Museum has been home to the Third Congressional District Art Competition for years and I appreciate their partnership with us to help recognize our great young artists across East Alabama.

A celebration will be held on October 22nd to honor the 40 years of art the museum has brought to the area.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing my friends at the Comer Museum and wishing them a happy 40th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Daniel and Carla Trantham and their children, Davis, Sadie, Anna Kate, Sawyer and Callie for being named Alabama's Outstanding Young Farm Family.

The Tranthams are row crop and cattle farmers who run their own feed operation. They bag and sell over 80 tons of feed and grain on a weekly basis at their storefront in Alexandria and through feed stores.

The Trantham family also sells wheat straw and Bermudagrass hay while improving yields on 1,000 acres of corn, wheat, soybeans and cotton through irrigation and seed selection. Since 2010, Daniel has more than doubled grain storage and tripled his cattle herd.

The family also operates a trucking company where Carla manages payroll.

The Tranthams are members of Leatherwood Baptist Church. Daniel is the local Young Farmers chair and serves on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Soybean Committee. Carla serves on the local Women's Leadership Committee.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing this young family on this great honor. Congratulations to the Tranthams.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th wedding anniversary of Charles and Natalie Maniscalco.

Charlie and Natalie met at John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham, Alabama. They both attended Jacksonville State University. Charlie graduated with an Education degree and Natalie with a Dietetics degree.

Charlie coached football and baseball at Oxford High School in Oxford, Alabama, before moving to JSU as the offensive coordinator. The JSU Gamecocks were national champions in 1992. After leaving JSU, he worked

for Oxford City Schools in several roles and later became principal at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Anniston, Alabama.

Natalie worked as a licensed registered dietician at several local health care facilities before working in private practice in Oxford.

The Maniscalcos were blessed with five sons: Michael, Andy, Tony, Matthew and Adam. They have 14 grandchildren: Kate, Celia, Reid, Emerson, Charlie, Rocco, Claire, Sam, Paul, Roman, Natalie, Perry, Mia, and Mary.

Charles and Natalie are active members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church and volunteer at All Saints Interfaith Center of Concern in Anniston.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Charles and Natalie on this important milestone and wishing them a very happy 50th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th wedding anniversary of Dr. Richard Cobb and Ann Ventress Cobb.

Richard and Ann met at Cleburne County High School; he played in the band and she was a majorette--they have been together ever since. On August 12, 1972, they were

married at Heflin Baptist Church in Heflin, Alabama.

Richard was employed at Jacksonville State University as Department Head of Management, Marketing and e-Commerce Department in the College of Business. Ann was employed by Cleburne County Board of Education and taught High School English at both Ranburne and Cleburne County High Schools.

Richard, who served in the United States Marine Corps, has had his commercial driver's and private pilot's licenses since he was in high school, and for years Ann has raised support for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The Cobbs are members of Heflin Baptist Church. They were blessed with two children: David (Misty) and Laura (Chad). They have six grandchildren: Nathan, Charis, Jonas, Ayla, Reaves and Fields.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Richard and Ann, and wishing them a happy 50th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Town of Munford on their 20th anniversary.

In the latter part of 1999 and early 2000, the citizens of the Community of Munford, Alabama, located in the northern portion of Talladega County, began a campaign to incorporate the community. One of the main purposes for incorporating was to separate itself from the City of Oxford, which was rapidly expanding and moving closer and closer to Munford.

In August of 2002, an election was held, and the Town of Munford was incorporated with a population of 1,508. The newly elected mayor and five council members took office in November of that year. Now Munford was in control of its own growth.

Munford has a very strong Water Board and Volunteer Fire Department to serve the area. The town also has a brand new middle school and high school and a new elementary school. The future looks bright for this great small town.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the Town of Munford on their 20th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th wedding anniversary of Greg and Cheryl Potts.

Miss Cheryl Lee Kriner and 2LT Gregory F. Potts were married on August 2, 1972, at Central United Methodist Church in Richmond, Indiana.

The honeymoon was spent en route to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, where 2LT Potts reported for active duty in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps 3 days later.

After more than 28 years of U.S. Army active military service for Greg and over 20 years of DoD civilian service for Cheryl, they decided in the autumn of 2000 to settle in retirement in Alabama, in great part because of the warm welcome and exceptional hospitality they experienced during their 2-year assignment at Anniston Army Depot in the late 1990s.

Retirement has been anything but quiet for them as Cheryl continues to be very active in her church, Jacksonville First United Methodist, and on the Advisory Board for OPAC (Oxford Performing Arts Center) after having served in various capacities in other community organizations. Greg is also active in the same church and serves as Chairman of the Farley L. Berman Foundation after also being active on several other local entities.

After retiring from BAE Systems in 2008, Greg and Cheryl decided to create GFP Consulting, a niche business development advisory and consulting firm focused on assisting small and other businesses in the national security space. They are proud to be entering GFP Consulting's 15th year of continuous operation.

Cheryl and Greg consider themselves richly blessed to be part of the life and fabric of East Central Alabama.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing my friends, Greg and Cheryl, and wishing them a happy 50th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 420.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize The 75th Anniversary of the Bynum Baptist Church located in Bynum, Alabama.

The Bynum Baptist Church began organization on a Sunday afternoon on September 14, 1947 at Bynum Community Building, Desoto Manor.

The members of the Organizing Presbytery consisted of: Dr. B. Locke Davis, Pastor, Parker Memorial Baptist Church in Anniston; Rev. L.R. Perry, Pastor, Liberty & Bethel Baptist Church in Crossville; Rev. Otis C. Fincher of Wedowee; Rev. G.C. Shaddix, Pastor, New Haven Baptist Church, RFD 1 in Anniston; Bro. Ben Sawyer, Deacon, Parker Memorial Baptist Church; Bro. Fred B. Bryant, Deacon, Parker Memorial Baptist Church and Bro. S.L. Johnson, Moderator, Deacon, Parker Memorial Baptist Church.

The church was organized with a charter membership of 37 Baptists living in and near the Bynum Community who desired to organize a church. Today the church's pastor is Rev. Benjie K. Miller.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing this milestone for Bynum Baptist Church.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Hobson City's 123rd Founder's Day Celebration.

The town of Hobson City was first known as Mooree Quarters, a Black settlement dating back to 1868 in a section of Oxford, Alabama.

In 1890, a Black man ran for Justice of the Peace in Oxford and the white mayoral candidate vowed if the Black man won, he would go to the State Capitol and have the boundary lines redrawn excluding Mooree Quarters. The Black man won the election and in 1896 Mooree Quarters Settlement was removed from the Oxford Town Limits.

According to the 1899 Alabama Constitution, to be eligible to vote, a resident had to have lived in the county of his residence for 12 months, be a male at least 21 years old, able to read and understand the Constitution, have a steady job for 12 months, own at least 40 acres of land and pay taxes among other requirements. Some Black property owners were allowed to vote in city and county elections. Twenty men responsible for the incorporation of the town qualified to vote under those terms.

For almost three years, Mooree Quarters settlement sat alone in the county. Taking matters into their own hands, a committee of citizens took their concerns to attorney Ross Black in Anniston, Alabama. Black attorneys were not allowed to practice law in Alabama during this time. The attorney advised them to incorporate the territory into their own municipality. On July 20, 1899, approximately 125 Blacks living in Mooree Quarters filed a petition with Calhoun County Probate Judge E. F. Cook to become a separate and distinct municipality. After proper legal proceedings, the town became incorporated on August 16, 1899, making it the first city in Alabama established exclusively for and by Black people. S. L. Davis was elected the first Mayor of Hobson City. Hobson City was named for Richard P. Hobson, a white Naval hero in the Spanish American War and a representative of the Alabama Legislature. Today, Hobson City is under the leadership of Mayor Alberta McCrory.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Hobson City's 123rd Founder's Day Celebration August 14-20, 2022.

Mr. Speaker, I intend to support the en bloc package even though it is not in our jurisdiction.

At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I intend to support this package, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership in this endeavor. This is a very important piece of legislation, a very bipartisan product, and I hope that our colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join the chairman and I in giving final passage to this important piece of legislation.