Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.

H.R. 7900 represents a truly bipartisan bill. I thank Chairman Smith for his tremendous leadership and cooperation in helping to fashion it.

Over the last year, we have seen the best of our soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and guardians. They performed in the toughest environments and have done so with the greatest level of skill and professionalism. Without a doubt, these men and women are the greatest force for good the world has ever seen.

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

We put our servicemembers first, providing a 4.6 percent pay increase and expanding benefits for military spouses and families. To counteract the effects of record inflation on our servicemembers and their families, our bill provides an additional 2.4 percent bonus to enlisted personnel.

It includes an additional $500 million for housing allowances to offset the skyrocketing rents and an additional $750 million to reduce the price of food and other necessities at our military commissaries.

The investments we make in this bill are focused on ensuring our warfighters are the best equipped and trained in the world. We increased funding for readiness, reversing cuts in our 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.

To ensure our warfighters prevail on future battlefields, we focused on modernization. That means divesting less capable legacy systems and investing in emerging technologies that will help us stay ahead of our adversaries.

This bill saves the taxpayer over $6 billion by divesting hundreds of older, less capable ships, aircraft, and other legacy systems. We use those savings and more to invest in emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, hypersonic weapons, and autonomous systems.

These investments are so critical because China and Russia are rapidly modernizing their militaries.

China is outpacing us with advancements in emerging technologies and weapons systems, and we know China isn't building these capabilities purely for defense. In recent years, we have seen China use its military to push out its borders, threaten our allies, and gain footholds on new continents.

H.R. 7900 is laser-focused on preparing our military to prevail in a conflict with China. 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 infiltration from China. It reaffirms our support to allies in the region, especially Taiwan.

It also strengthens our European alliance as these democracies face grave threats from the unhinged crackpot currently leading Russia.

Threats from adversaries like China and Russia are not the only ones we face. Terrorists continue to plot to destroy our way of life. We must continue to take the fight to them anywhere at any time they threaten us. With strong investments in new capabilities and readiness, this bill enables our warfighters to do just that.

This bill passed out of our committee 57-1, with all Republicans voting for it. It is the definition of a bipartisan bill. It will enhance the congressional oversight of DOD, improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and families, and ensure the military is properly resourced and equipped to defend our Nation and its allies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote for this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), the ranking member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), the ranking member of the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson), one of our outstanding freshman members of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Carl), another of our outstanding freshman members.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Kelly), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), the ranking member of the Readiness Subcommittee.

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

This is truly a bipartisan product, and I thank Chairman Smith for his leadership in that effort. I know there will be an effort later today and tomorrow to add extraneous issues to this bill that have nothing to do with the defense of our Nation. It happens every year. But like previous years, we will work through those in conference. We will weed out the ones that don't need to come back to the floor.

Before us today is a critical piece of legislation. It is a good piece of legislation, and I urge its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I oppose the gentleman's amendment.

It allows some of the most hardened terrorists in U.S. custody a platform to publicly broadcast their message.

Our military commissions process at Guantanamo Bay has already been substantially delayed. Letting hardened terrorists know there is a public audience for their hate will do far more harm than good.

Federal courts have stuck to their guns against broadcasting major terrorism cases, such as the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, and I see no reason to make an exception for terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.

Mr. Speaker, even the Biden administration has fought against prior versions of this amendment. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, again, this amendment undermines the military commissions process and gives hardened terrorists a public platform. The Biden administration has opposed this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment completely undermines the existing contractor debarment processes at DOD. Federal contractors and subcontractors are already required to comply with the National Labor Relations Act.

There are already tools to bring contractors into compliance. This amendment takes the decision out of the hands of the contracting officer to determine whether or not a contractor is responsible. Something as small as a single paperwork violation would prohibit DOD from contracting with a company.

This is an unprecedented prohibition that exists nowhere else in the Federal Government.

It is a departure from the processes we use to prevent contracting with bad actors and would undermine our national security. If enacted, this would severely limit the Department's ability to contract for goods and services needed to support the warfighter and execute critical mission sets around the globe.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose this effort. It could stop procurement of critical systems needed to counter China. It could delay construction of military housing projects, and it could stop work on vital programs to improve the safety of ships, aircrafts, and combat vehicles.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bad amendment. I urge all Members to oppose it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment completely undermines the existing contractor debarment processes at the DOD. Federal contractors and subcontractors are already required to comply with the National Labor Relations Act. There are already tools to bring contractors into compliance. But this amendment takes the decision out of the hands of the contracting officer to determine whether a contractor is responsible.

If enacted, this amendment would limit the Department's ability to receive quality goods and services and drive up costs unnecessarily.

Federal contractors and subcontractors are already required to comply with the National Labor Relations Act. Yet this amendment would go further and seek to prefer contract awards based on compliance with labor agreements in a new and unprecedented way regardless of its negative impact on small businesses and national security.

I will note that this amendment is opposed by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, as well as the Workplace Policy Institute and the Associated Builders and Contractors.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this en bloc amendment, and I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw), another colleague from the Texas delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Davidson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, so at this time, I would just urge adoption of this en bloc package and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment creates an existential threat to the good order and discipline of the military.

A servicemember may seek an order from the U.S. district court demanding a status update or final action within 180 days after any supervisor or office receives a complaint.

This creates an unprecedented right to sue the commanders and force outcomes of administrative proceedings, some of which could be tied to active law enforcement investigations. An activist district court judge could reverse or set aside the final decision of a commander.

I understand that some of my colleagues wish to do away with the UCMJ altogether. I believe this and other provisions are the first step toward that end.

This provision will not benefit those who need protection the most in the Armed Forces and will undermine the strong bipartisan work that has taken place on sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment demolishes the good order and discipline of the military and should be rejected.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment is a misuse of funds and resources on behalf of the DOD. As my colleague from California just referenced, this bill already includes funding increases for a myriad of civilian harm programs. There is already $5 million for the Center of Excellence in Civilian Harm Mitigation and $4 million for the Commission on Civilian Harm.

This amendment diverts critical dollars needed to ensure the readiness of our servicemembers to fulfill unnecessary paperwork requirements. Worst of all, it creates additional bureaucrats throughout the DOD whose job it is to second-guess the judgment of our military commanders.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I would urge opposition to this. This amendment represents an unnecessary waste of taxpayer money and undermines the judgment of our military commanders.

I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would arbitrarily strip $100 billion out of this bill. That is 12 percent of total defense spending it would cut. This amendment would have catastrophic effects on training and readiness. It will endanger the safety of our servicemembers by delaying critical safety upgrades on the ships, aircraft, combat vehicles, and facilities where they serve.

It will set back the cleanup and environmental remediation at PFAS and other contaminated sites and put off construction of new military housing, schools, and childcare facilities. It will further postpone critical modernization efforts needed to deter China and other adversaries. The list goes on and on.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, this amendment guts the

bill. It harms our servicemembers and their families. It severely weakens our ability to defend ourselves and our allies. Given Putin's atrocities in Ukraine and the increasing threats we face in China, Iran, North Korea, and other adversaries, this is the worst time to start slashing defense spending.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, here we have another amendment that would arbitrarily slash defense spending. This time it is $37 billion added by Mr. Golden and Mrs. Luria, two Democrat members of our committee, during our markup.

The amendment before us now would eliminate a 2.4 percent pay bonus for enlisted personnel, people who make less than $45,000 a year. It would erase $500 million in additional housing allowances to counteract skyrocketing rents for low-income servicemembers, and it would delete $750 million we added to reduce the price of groceries and other necessities at military commissaries.

The proponents of this amendment argue that we need to spend less on defense so we can spend more on programs to counteract homelessness, hunger, and poverty. But their amendment would strip out a bipartisan effort to ensure our servicemembers with the lowest incomes don't face those same difficulties. It is hypocrisy at its worst.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden).

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

Mr. Speaker, I point out that this $37 billion that was added in a bipartisan fashion in the committee does not even meet all the unfunded requirements that were submitted to Congress by the Defense Department.

Like all Americans, our servicemembers and their families are suffering from the harmful effects of record inflation. We worked in a bipartisan manner to address that in this NDAA. This amendment would strike that language from the bill. I don't understand why anyone wants to do that and have that effect on our servicemembers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

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

This amendment would prohibit Congress from receiving unfunded priority lists from service chiefs and combatant commanders. These are the individuals responsible for executing U.S. military operations around the world.

It is critical that Congress knows what the service chiefs and the combatant commanders need to keep our servicemembers safe and ensure success in their missions.

Here are a couple of examples of FY23 unfunded priorities from General McConville, the Army chief of staff: $67 million to accelerate fielding of body armor for female soldiers; $65 million to acquire cold-weather boots, gloves, and sleeping bags for troops deployed to cold-weather environments.

Neither of these critical needs were funded in the Biden proposal. We funded them in this bill only because they were included on General McConville's unfunded priority list. We likely wouldn't have known about them otherwise.

These are just a couple of examples of why this amendment is misguided. There are hundreds more just like it.

I urge Members to oppose this amendment. I remind Members that the President proposes a budget number that the service chiefs and combatant commanders have to salute and say, ``Yes, sir''--hopefully, one day, ``Yes, ma'am''--``That is our number, and we are going to make it work,'' regardless of what they need.

We have to have that unfunded requirements list so that we can know what they actually need, and we can then act because the fact is the President proposes budgets; we write budgets.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would rob Congress of critical information we need to keep our servicemembers safe.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. 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 Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

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

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would repeal what has been bipartisan consensus since 2018. The United States should not provide funding for a bloated international organization to help bring into force a treaty that the Senate has already rejected. In practical terms, this amendment would allow tens of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to be spent on conferences and junkets in the capitals of Europe to help resurrect a treaty that the U.S. Senate has already rejected.

Let's be clear: This amendment has nothing to do with U.S. nuclear testing. Since the early 1980s, every administration, both Republican and Democrat, has stated that we do not need to conduct underground nuclear testing. Nothing has changed, and this bill provides billions of dollars to ensure that it doesn't.

My suggestion to the sponsors of this amendment, Mr. Speaker, is if you really want to change the policy, then go run for the Senate. There you can attempt to resurrect the rotting corpse which is the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would prohibit funding for the W-87-1 nuclear warhead and attempt to life extend the Minuteman ICBM. In practical terms, this amendment is a backdoor attempt to kill the U.S. ICBM program.

We have heard time and again from the U.S. Air Force, STRATCOM, and GAO that the Minuteman ICBM cannot be life extended. The parts simply don't exist, and we need this new capability.

This would also fly in the face of the decision made by President Biden in his nuclear posture review to continue retiring the Minuteman III and replacing it with Sentinel ICBM. This was the same decision President Trump and President Obama came to when they were reviewing this data.

Adopting this amendment would also send a terrible signal to our allies. Allies around the world rely on the protection provided by the U.S. nuclear umbrella which reduces the incentive for those nations to pursue nuclear programs of their own. Extending the nuclear guarantee underwrites the security of over 30 formal treaty allies including NATO, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. This amendment is akin to unilateral disarmament and would be a huge win for Russia and China.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. 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 Nebraska (Mr. Bacon), who serves on the Armed Services Committee.

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

I will say this for my good friend from California: He is persistent. I hope that this year he is not going to be successful, like he hasn't been in the past.

This amendment guts a decade and a half of consensus on nuclear modernization. It would appease foreign dictators and undermine our alliances. It is opposed by the Pentagon.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered.

Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question are postponed.

Amendment No. 20 Offered by Ms. Tlaib

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would repeal what was unanimously inserted into the NDAA during this year's markup.

The underlying bill currently contains a floor of 400 deployed ICBMs. This is the minimum STRATCOM says it needs to deter both Russia and China. That is how we got that number, by trusting our military commanders.

China is building and filling ICBM fields at an unprecedented rate. Russia is deploying a new heavy Sarmat ICBM. Yet, we are taking time to debate whether the U.S. should maintain at least 400 ICBMs.

The debate is simple. If you support going lower than the number of ICBMs that STRATCOM says it needs to deter Russia and China, then you should support the Tlaib amendment. If you think that 400 is the right number, and you trust our military commanders in their assessment, then you should oppose the Tlaib amendment.

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

Mr. 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 Texas (Mr. Jackson), an outstanding member of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would repeal the statutory requirement to maintain at least 400 ICBMs. That would completely undermine our strategic deterrent. I urge all Members to oppose this amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, this amendment offers vague language about how the DOD and VA should plan to address the spread of so-called disinformation in DOD and veteran communities.

It defines ``malign disinformation'' to include anything harmful to the good order and discipline or related to vaccinations.

Supporters of this amendment should think long and hard about what behavior they envision being investigated and criminalized in this report.

Implying that all who question or all who disagree with COVID vaccinations are somehow the victims of disinformation is also an absurd view

of reality. I find it insulting to our servicemembers and veterans.

This body should not support any language that endorses mass censorship campaigns based on political beliefs or loose concepts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, this amendment is Orwellian and insulting to servicemembers. I urge all Members to oppose it.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered.

Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question are postponed.

Amendment No. 31 Offered by Mr. Schneider

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment lays the groundwork for massive new monitoring programs in the name of preventing extremism.

The amendment would implement verbatim the recommendations of DOD bureaucrats and political appointees who wrote the two reports.

These reports, which are shoddy and devoid of actual data, recommend massive expansions of so-called vetting of DOD civilians and servicemembers.

These recommendations, if implemented, lay the groundwork for new social media and online activity monitoring, new screening questions about group and political affiliations, and so-called behavioral analysis.

The amendment is so poorly drafted that it may require DOD to share information about extremist activity in the DOD with foreign countries. It doesn't prohibit the sharing of servicemember information or include any mention of privacy protections. We can't even say for sure what the amendment will do.

It asks the DOD to pick six recommendations from a list of 27 policy ideas. There is a reason we don't implement departmental reports as law without due consideration. The options range from updating a PowerPoint to collecting servicemembers' social media data to extremism databases.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment is an abdication of legislative responsibility and will likely lead to massive civil liberty infringements at the DOD. I strongly urge its rejection, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment makes unnecessary changes to section 333 security cooperation reporting requirements and places needless certification on programs within the Northern Triangle.

The additional reporting requirements are overly burdensome. Furthermore, requiring additional certification for Northern Triangle countries is entirely misplaced and not something done for any other group of countries for security cooperation programs.

It is critically important to maintain, not turn our backs on, partners in the SOUTHCOM region. Turning our backs on partners only creates a vacuum for China and Russia to create a greater foothold in the region.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. Speaker, this amendment weakens our partnerships in the SOUTHCOM region and helps China to continue their malign efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge rejection of this amendment and a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, the report required in this amendment is well intentioned, but the preference against incineration chooses sides on destruction technology.

We want to make sure the DOD destroys PFAS material using whatever technology performs the best and conforms to the technical standards used throughout the Federal Government.

There is a current moratorium on incineration of PFAS material until guidance on destruction and disposal is published by the administrator of the EPA.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson).

Madam Speaker, again, I oppose this amendment and urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, this amendment requires the Department of Defense to establish a voluntary pilot program to provide secure gun storage or safety devices for personally owned firearms. I don't think it is the DOD's responsibility. This should be the responsibility of the servicemember who owns the firearm.

Most firearm manufacturers provide gun locks with the sale of a firearm. They also are readily available at very low cost at many sporting goods stores around the country.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I still oppose the amendment. I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of these amendments en bloc.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon), my friend and colleague.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I also urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment and urge our colleagues to vote for it.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I, too, urge adoption of this en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I too urge adoption of the en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would prevent the Department of Defense from receiving reimbursement under the Economy Act for support provided to other Federal agencies in firefighting or disaster response. I support an all-of-Government approach to disaster response, but DOD does not need to be the piggy bank. FEMA has a disaster response fund with billions of dollars to reimburse DOD for their costs. This amendment would be detrimental to readiness and other mission-critical efforts by taking away funds from their intended use.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I restate my opposition to this amendment, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 90th birthday of Jo Anne Corbitt Laney.

Jo Anne was born on January 25, 1932. She was married to James Ellison Laney and blessed with two children, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

Jo Anne lives in Phenix City, Alabama, and is active member of Crawford United Methodist Church. She also serves as a member of the United Women of Faith.

She worked at Kirven's of Columbus, Georgia, and helped run Laney's Dairy. The Laneys also owned a tire store named Laneys Tire and Battery.

Jo Anne was the first Russell County Alabama Farmers Federation Women's Leadership Committee Chair, has held various roles in Women's Leadership Committee, a former member of the Crawford Maintenance Club, and a founding member of the Crawford Volunteer Fire Department.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the 90th birthday of Jo Anne Corbitt Laney.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize J.D. Hess.

J.D. was first elected in 1990 and has served as Calhoun County District 4 Commissioner for 28 years--the longest serving commissioner in Calhoun County history. His service was from 1990 through 1998 and 2002 through 2022. The district includes Blue Mountain, Saks, Weaver, Alexandria, Pleasant Valley, Cedar Springs, Wellington, and Webster's Chapel.

J.D. is a lifelong resident of Calhoun County. Before his time as Commissioner, he served in the United States Army Reserve and as a fireman. He also owned a small business. Some of J.D.'s accomplishments in office include the Tag and License Branch Office, Ronnie Carr Park, the Camp McClellan Horse Trails, the reopening of Woodland Park in Lenlock, and the AgCenter's development. He also had a hand in starting community centers across his district including in Saks, Alexandria, Webster's Chapel and Weaver as well as numerous road and bridge projects.

J.D. is a founding board member of the Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame. He has supported numerous youth and school programs and projects throughout the county. He is a supporter of Jacksonville State University and a past Gamecock Club President. J.D. has been involved in various community and civic organizations and is an active member of First Baptist Church of Saks.

J.D. plans to spend time with his wife, Debbie, family, and his grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing my friend, J.D. Hess, and his tireless service for the folks across Calhoun County.

Madam Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Ms. Lisha H. Adams, Executive Deputy to the Commanding General of Army Materiel Command.

Ms. Adams has 39 years of government service experience supporting Army and Joint

Force programs, with 35 of those years served at Army Materiel Command. A graduate of the Army Materiel Command Materiel Maintenance Management Intern Program, she has held various leadership positions in acquisition and sustainment, including Logistics Division Chief, Unmanned Vehicle Systems Project Office; Director of Logistics, PEO for Tactical Missiles; and Principal Deputy, G-3, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command. Selected for the Senior Executive Service in January 2011, Ms. Adams also served as the Executive Director, Integrated Materiel Management Center, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command.

In June 2011, Ms. Adams was assigned as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/4 for Logistics Integration, responsible for sustaining the Joint Warfighter through command and control of supply chain management, depot and National Maintenance Program operations, asset management and distribution, reset, and ammunition/chemical stockpile management.

Prior to her appointment to Executive Deputy to the Commanding General, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Materiel Readiness, where she was the principal advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Defense leadership on policies, procedures and actions related to the materiel readiness of Department of Defense weapons and other materiel systems.

In her current capacity as Executive Deputy to the Commanding General, Ms. Adams is responsible for materiel life cycle management, acquisition support, personnel and resource management, industrial base operations and enterprise integration for a globally reaching command with over 175,000 military, civilian and contractor employees, impacting all 50 states and more than 150 countries.

Ms. Adams earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Birmingham-Southern College and received her Master of Business Administration degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. Ms. Adams is Defense Acquisition Level III certified in Program Management and Lifecycle Logistics. Her awards include the Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service; DA Meritorious Civilian Service Award; DA Superior Civilian Service Award; DA Civilian of the Year; Redstone Chapter AUSA, 2010; DA Integrated Logistics Support Achievement of the Year Award for ILS Management; and the Commander's Award for Civilian Service.

I congratulate Ms. Adams on her retirement and thank her for her service to America.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Bill Hagler.

Bill Hagler passed away on April 29, 2022, at the age of 94 after living a full life in Anniston, Alabama. Bill is best known for his time on the former Anniston WHMA Channel 40 television station as a meteorologist, host of the show ``By The Way'' and host of ``Dialing for Dollars.'' Prior to his time on air, he served as General Manager for WAVU/WZSB in Albertville from 1953 to 1969. He served in the United States Air Force in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Bill was a very active part of his community and church. He was a member of the Lions Club of Albertville, the Anniston Kiwanis Club and was elected as Governor for Kiwanis in Alabama. He was a long-time member of Anniston First United Methodist Church.

Bill was married to Ellie and blessed with three sons, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Bill's life of service and dedication to my hometown. He will be greatly missed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Student Council of Ragland High School.

In October, the Council, led by President Jaxon Phillips, called for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to fund the Ragland Safety, Transportation, Education, and Mobility Project, known as ``STEM.''

Trains often block Ragland's only grade crossing, cutting the town in half for hours. This blocks first responders and school buses and causes disruptions for student attendance and learning. The STEM Project would eliminate these disruptions.

At the Student Council's urging, I have engaged with U.S. DOT to support this project. I had hoped funding for this project would be announced by Secretary Buttigieg before the school year ended. While the final decision is still pending, I want these young leaders to know their voices have been heard in Washington. I will continue to support the STEM Project.

Madam Speaker, I call upon Secretary Buttigieg to fund this worthy project. I include in the Record the text of the Council's resolution of October 25, 2021.

Student Council, Ragland High School

Resolution

October 25, 2021

Whereas, The Town of Ragland has been home to the National

Cement Company, Inc. since July of 1910; and

Whereas, The National Cement Company requires a large

percentage of products to be transported via the railroad,

owned and operated by OrnniTRAX and ATN, which intersects

Alabama State Highway 144; and

Whereas, The railroad is prone to cause major delays of

traffic that might include means of transportation for

school, such as school buses, student drivers, and teachers.

as well as emergency vehicles. hindering the response of

local first responders in the event of an emergency; and

Whereas, In December of 2019, the National Cement Company

made an investment of $250,000,000 in a kiln expansion

project that is set to be completed by December 2021, drawing

in 132 new jobs, as well as pouring a foundation for the

National Cement Plant to remain in operation for another 50

years: and

Whereas, Such an expansion is projected to increase cement

production abundantly resulting in the necessity for

transportation of products via the railroad and Alabama State

Highway 144; additionally furthering the traffic delays along

with impeding first responder's ability to respond; Be it

Therefore

Resolved, That the Ragland High School Student Council, in

meeting assembled, calls on the Federal Railroad

Administration Acting Administrator Amit Bose, U.S. Secretary

of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Congressman, Mike

Rogers, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, and U.S. Senator Tommy

Tuberville, to promote the ``Ragland Safety, Transportation,

Education, and Mobility Project''; and Be it Further

Resolved, That the Ragland High School tudent Council, in

meeting assembled, formally endorses and acknowledges the

urgency for supporting the ``Ragland Safety, Transportation,

Education, and Mobility Project''.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th Anniversary of the Sunny King Automotive Group.

In 1922, E. D. King acquired the Ford Motor Company franchise currently operated by King Motor Co., Inc. As a Ford franchise continuously operated by the same family in the United States, it's the second oldest in the State of Alabama and 18th oldest in the United States.

Through a 1922 merger involving principals E. D. King, J. F. King and J. C. Wheeler, as well as Wheeler Motor Company and Oxford Motor Company, King-Wheeler Motor Co. was formed. An advertisement appearing in the April 7, 1922, edition of The Anniston Star stated King and Wheeler had been ``in the Ford business for a number of years'' and claimed the new combination assured ``the trade of the best and finest service available''.

King Wheeler Motor Co. was conveniently located at 110 East 11th Street in downtown Anniston and the business retailed both cars and tractors. The company operated under the core principle: ``every transaction must be satisfactory . . . to every customer.''

J. F. King left King Wheeler Motor Co. to pursue and operate a Lincoln franchise while E. D. King retained King Wheeler Motor Co. The name of the company was later changed to King Motor Company which was initially incorporated as King Motor Co., Inc. on December 15, 1947.

In the early 1950s the leadership of King Motor Company transitioned from E. D. King, Sr., the meticulous, organized businessman to E. D. ``Sunny'' King, Jr., the flamboyant, energetic promotor with the magnetic personality. E. D. King, Sr. became President and major shareholder in Anniston National Bank, that is now Regions Bank.

Under the leadership of Sunny King, Jr., Sunny King Ford became a local household name through advertising and promotion. NASCAR stock car racing was a constant through sponsorship of great drivers like Bill Elliot, Donnie Allison and Ken Schrader.

In 1971, the expansion of Sunny King Ford required relocation to a newly constructed facility located at 1507 South Quintard Avenue. This expansion continued until 1989 with the

addition of Honda, Chrysler Plymouth, AMC-Jeep-Renault, Isuzu, Subaru, Yugo, Daihatsu, Hyundai, Volvo, Sterling, Pontiac-Cadillac-GMC and Toyota franchises. Additional Honda franchises were opened in Auburn and Sylacauga and Acura franchises were located in Hoover and Huntsville.

E. D. King, III and Henry L. King continue to operate the Auburn Honda franchise and the Hoover Acura franchise, respectively, to this day.

Sunny King became a well-known, accomplished community leader throughout his career. His many accomplishments included Time Dealer of the Year for Alabama (1988), Anniston Star Citizen of the Year in 1988 and an invitation to join the national Honda Dealer Council.

King was a huge contributor and supporter of his community. Organizations such as Knox Concert Series, Northeast Alabama Boys and Girls Club, J. S. U. Foundation, Rainbow Omega, Salvation Army, United Way, Cerebral Palsy Center, CAST, Alabama Baptist Children's Home and numerous schools, churches and local charities have benefitted from this long-term generosity. Notable annual events such as the Sunny King Charity Classic, the Woodstock 5K and the Sunny King Criterium, continue to receive support from the Sunny King Automotive Group organization.

On September 11, 1990, King, Jr. passed away following a brief battle with cancer. Patricia M. King became the third successive King to assume the leadership role of the organization, taking control during a difficult business and legal environment. In 2015, John T. Bryan, Jr. became the fourth President of King Motor Co., Inc. and the first not named King to assume that position. Through the leadership of Patricia M. King and John T. Bryan, Jr. the Sunny King Automotive Group organization was able to survive and grow.

The company focused its financial resources on the Ford, Honda and Toyota franchises. New facilities were constructed for Sunny King Honda (2002) and Sunny King Toyota (2006) in Oxford. A major renovation to the 1507 South Quintard facility of Sunny King Ford was completed in 2013.

The Sunny King organization will celebrate this milestone on April 22 at the Anniston Country Club.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Sunny King Automotive Group on their 100th Anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Weaver High School wrestling team for winning the AHSAA Class 1A/4A state title in dramatic fashion.

On February 19, 2022, The Weaver Bearcats beat Ohatchee High School 82 to 81 thanks to pins by Devin Anderson and Joshua Johannson in the final two matches to secure their title win. The event was held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Devin Anderson earned 1A-4A most valuable wrestler. This was head coach Andy Fulmer's first state title and the Bearcats' 10th state title. Their last state title was in 2004.

Madam, Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Fulmer, the wrestling team, students, faculty and all the fans. Go Bearcats.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of Kenneth Bice.

Kenneth was born in Anniston, Alabama, on November 28, 1944. He now resides in Ohatchee, Alabama, with Fran, his wife of 40 years. He has been blessed with five children, 12 grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren.

After working with South Central Bell for 15 years, Kenneth saw an opportunity to start a ground-breaking telecommunication company in Anniston, Alabama. As the telecommunication industry began rapidly changing with new FCC rulings allowing companies and individuals to buy their own telephone equipment instead of renting, he seized this opportunity and founded Telephone Communications, Inc (TCI) in 1979. TCI now serves thousands of customers with their managed services in the telecom, security and IT services industries. This successful company is the first of many companies Kenneth would begin. Other companies he founded include: TelNet Corporation, Bice Enterprises, The Homestead & Liberty Square, Blue Signs, Yello Wireless, Smart Ink, BCR Corporation, PHR, Inc., KB's Restaurant and Action Auto.

He has served his community over the years and been involved as a Graduate of Leadership Calhoun County, a member of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Anniston Main Street Board of Directors, Founder of Citizens for Safer Alabama, Calhoun County Economic Development Council, Colonial Bank Advisory Board, Board of Directors for the Berman Foundation Museum, Board member of Anniston Retail Commercial Development Authority, Founder of Alabama Long Distance Association, Volunteer fireman at Ohatchee Fire Department and active member of Oak Bowery Church where he currently serves as Sunday School Teacher and Chairman of Properties Committee.

He Received Small Business Leader of the Year for Calhoun County (1990, 1994) and Special Achievement Award from State of Alabama (1990).

Kenneth retired February 14, 2022 and will be honored March 29th with family and friends in Saks.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating my friend on his retirement and his tireless service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Jacksonville High School boys' basketball team for winning the AHSAA Class 4A state title.

On March 4, 2022, The Jacksonville Golden Eagles played fast and left no doubt as to who deserves to be state champion, beating Escambia County 85 to 49 to secure their title win. The game was played at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Cade Phillips was named tournament MVP. This was head coach Shane Morrow's first year and the Golden Eagles' first basketball state title.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Morrow, the basketball team, students, faculty and all the fans. Go Golden Eagles.

Madam Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize the life of Jenifer Jean Wright Johnson. Jean passed away on February 6th, 2022.

Jean was born on January 25, 1938, in Roanoke, Alabama. She attended classes at Jacksonville Teachers College on the GI Bill and met her husband, Earl ``PeeWee'' Johnson at a school dance.

The two were married on March 5th, 1957, at West Side Baptist Church. They were blessed with four children.

After Jean graduated college, she worked as a substitute teacher. She took a job at Johnston Junior High in Anniston as the physical education teacher responsible also for the cheerleaders and girls' sports teams.

A few years later, she was approached by church elders and city council members from Jacksonville to start a low-income day care program. She worked to help raise funding to update the former Eastwood High School as well as working with the State of Alabama help secure funding.

On September 30, 1970, the Jacksonville Day Care Center opened and also created a summer program. Jean took over as Director of East Alabama Child Development Centers and was responsible for over 20 day care centers across 11 counties.

Jean had a heart for children and a great love for accessories. She will be missed.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Jean's life of service.

Madam Speaker, I ask for the House's attention today to recognize the life of Frank Crow who passed away on February 23, 2022, doing what he loved to do--spending time outside on a snowmobile in Gallatin National Forest in Yellowstone National Park.

Frank lived in Jacksonville, Alabama, and was born on June 11, 1956. Everyone knew when Frank Crow entered the room because he always ended up being the center of attention. Not surprisingly, he even exited this world as the center of attention.

Frank was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, as the first of two children. After traveling the world as a military brat, his family relocated to Oneonta, Alabama, where he graduated with the class of 1974 from Oneonta High School.

He received his undergraduate from Jacksonville State University in 1977, where he was an active member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. Frank served in the U.S. Army for 12 years with training as an Airborne Ranger Infantryman ``Grunt''. His leadership talents were used with two company commands and two overseas tours (Germany and Korea). His attention to detail and vision groomed his soldiers to raise the bar and exceed in all areas. He exited the military with the rank of Major in 1989. He loved this country. After leaving the Military, Frank received two Masters' Degrees from Jacksonville State University. He also enjoyed substitute teaching and coaching football at Jacksonville High School.

He lived a robust and full life. He was blessed with a loving family and wonderful friends. He loved being outside, hunting, fishing, skiing, motorcycling and snowmobile riding. His talent for helping Veterans was his passion. He loved receiving calls from the individuals he helped with positive news from the VA. Many of the veterans he helped appreciated his knowledge of the process that aided in the veterans increased benefits. ``After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.'' 1 Peter 5:10

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Frank's life of service and dedication to our country and our Veterans. He will be greatly missed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 70th birthday of my good friend, Larry K. Deason.

Larry was born on February 9, 1952. He graduated from Jacksonville State University and later from LSU School of Banking.

As a longtime banker, Larry has served in many capacities, but most recently as President of F&M Bank until 2017 and now as President Emeritus.

Larry recently completed his work as Chairman of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce and was named Anniston Star's Citizen of the Year.

Larry serves as Trustee Emeritus of Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center (RMC), Past Chairman of RMC Board, Chairman of the Economic Development Council of Calhoun County, Founding Member of Anniston Surgery Center, Founding Member of The Empty Stocking Gala, Elected Delegate for the Alabama Independent Community Bankers of America, Past Chairman of Alabama Banker's Association, Co-Chair of Core-4, Past Vice Chairman of The Anniston Museum of Natural History and Member of the Airport Authority for the East Alabama Metropolitan Airport.

Larry is married to Betty and has one daughter, Maryann and two precious grandchildren.

Friends and family will gather to celebrate his 70th birthday at the 19th Hole at the Anniston Country Club on February 9th.

Larry is a devoted servant to Calhoun County and is known in the community for his hard work.

Madam Speaker, please join me in wishing Larry a very happy birthday.