Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the 50th anniversary of Big Oak Boys' Ranch in Gadsden, Alabama.

John Croyle founded Big Oak Boys' Ranch after working at a summer camp and meeting a little boy from New Orleans, Louisiana. The child's mother was a prostitute, and he was the banker and timekeeper for his mother. John ministered to this child about Christianity, and the following summer, the child shared with John how Jesus had changed his life. John knew his calling was to help children.

The Big Oak Boys' Ranch is known as a Christian home for children needing a chance, and it has certainly fulfilled its mission since opening in 1974. The Ranch has met the needs of over 2,000 children-- giving them a Christian home and a chance to fulfill God's plan for their lives.

The Ranch started off as a single farmhouse serving five boys to seven ministry teams advancing the mission nation-wide. The Ranch follows these four promises: We love you, we will never lie to you, we will stick with you until you are grown and there are boundaries. The children find love, support, security and discipline within the promises.

A celebration will be held on Sunday, July 28th at the Big Oak Boys' Ranch to mark the 50th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing this milestone for the Big Oak Boys' Ranch and thanking John for his tireless dedication to these children.

Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1287, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn).

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1287, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self).

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Molinaro), my colleague.

Mr. Chair, I will take a minute to thank the ranking member for his leadership. He has been an outstanding partner in this process as we have built what is an outstanding National Defense Authorization Act.

I can't overstate how helpful the Democrat staff and the Republican staff have been working together throughout this entire process. This is truly a bipartisan committee and a model for the rest of this institution.

Mr. Chair, I encourage Members to support the amendments en bloc, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

I wholeheartedly agree with the gentleman's desire to ensure the Department obtains fair and reasonable prices. The committee has done a lot to reform that process and crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse over the last few years.

However, I believe I speak for both sides when I say we have some concerns that this amendment may be redundant to ongoing efforts as well as efforts we required the inspector general to undertake in last year's NDAA. We also have some questions about how the amendment would be executed.

However, if the gentleman would agree to work with us to address these concerns as the bill moves forward, I would be prepared to accept this amendment at this time.

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

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for agreeing to work with us. We will work with him.

Mr. Chair, I agree to accept the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, my colleague from Georgia will be pleased to learn that there is nothing in this year's NDAA that authorizes assistance to Ukraine. That money is provided through the supplemental appropriations bills.

The problem with this amendment is it would cut off funds to maintain the deployment of marines to secure our Embassy in Kyiv. It would also cut off the DOD's ability to conduct and use monitoring of weapons systems the U.S. already has provided to Ukraine. We don't want them to fall into bad hands. We need to ensure those weapons stay in our hands. I urge Members to oppose this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for yielding. This amendment would have serious consequences to our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific as they face down China and North Korea.

Former INDOPACOM Commander Admiral Harris highlighted that cluster munitions are essential in a potential conflict with North Korea. I would

point out China and Russia have not banned cluster munitions. We also should not wait until the fighting starts to transfer these weapons.

Deterrence depends on getting real and effective weapons like cluster munitions in place before a potential fight. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1287, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Davidson).

Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Fong), the newest Member of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support this en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1287, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8070.

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

Mr. Chairman, for the first time in decades, this year's Defense bill carries a different short title. It is the Servicemember Quality of Life and National Defense Authorization Act.

We did that to underscore the tremendous gains this bill makes toward improving the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families. No servicemember should have to live in squalid conditions. No military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children. No one serving this country should have to wait weeks to see a doctor or mental health professional.

That is exactly what many of our servicemembers are experiencing, especially our junior enlisted personnel. This bill goes a long way toward fixing that. It includes a 20 percent pay raise for junior enlisted. It expands allowances for housing and food and improves the cost-of-living calculation.

The bill authorizes $766 million over the budget request to improve existing barracks and build new ones. It enables the services to pursue public-private partnerships to provide better unaccompanied housing.

The bill reduces dangerous healthcare wait times by waiving referral requirements for specialty care and expanding the number of DOD doctors and nurses with special recruitment and pay authorities.

The bill improves access to childcare for military families by providing over $206 million to build new DOD childcare centers and fully funding childcare fee assistance programs to offset the cost of private childcare.

The bill helps military spouses gain and retain employment by making it easier for them to transfer professional licenses between States. It also gives the DOD the authority to quickly hire military spouses and keep them employed during changes in duty stations.

We are making these historic improvements in the quality of life of our servicemembers because, now more than ever, we need to recruit and retain the best and brightest. That is because the threats our Nation faces, especially those from China, are more complex and challenging than at any other point in the last 40 years.

To deter those threats, the fiscal year 2025 NDAA reforms acquisition authorities and fosters private-sector innovation to speed the fielding of game-changing new technologies that will give us the advantage in a conflict with China. It strengthens our security partnerships with Taiwan and Pacific allies. It fully funds the modernization of our nuclear deterrent, protects the U.S. military bases, the defense supply chain, and academic research from Chinese espionage.

The act builds the logistics network in the Pacific the military needs to carry out operations against China, and it includes new investments to retool and revitalize the industrial base to ensure it can deliver the systems we need to prevail in any conflict.

In the face of the growing threats from China, it is also critical we restore our military's focus on lethality. The fiscal year 2025 NDAA does that by ending divisive policies that have hurt unit cohesion and military readiness. We all know that deterring these threats will be an expensive endeavor, but we acknowledge there are limits as to what we can spend.

That is why this NDAA is focused on rooting out waste in the DOD. If weapons systems are not responsive to the threats we face, we cut them. In fact, this bill includes over $30 billion in savings from cutting systems that can't survive in a conflict with China and by reining in programs, like the F-35, that are not delivering on requirements.

I thank the ranking member and his staff for their tremendous work in putting this bill together. This is a truly bipartisan bill. It passed out of committee 57-1. It executes on hundreds of hours of bipartisan oversight conducted by Members and staff over the past few months.

It will help revitalize the defense industrial base. It will build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force we need to deter China, and it will provide historic improvements in the quality of life of our servicemembers and their families.

Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Budget,

Washington, DC, May 29, 2024.

Hon. Mike Rogers,

Chairman, Committee on Armed Services,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Rogers: I am writing you concerning H.R.

8070, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year

2025. H.R. 8070 contains provisions that fall within the Rule

X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget.

In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed

expeditiously to floor consideration of this important

legislation, I am willing to waive the Committee on the

Budget's right to a sequential referral. I do so with the

mutual understanding that by waiving consideration of the

bill, the Committee on the Budget does not waive any future

jurisdictional claim over the subject matter contained in

this or similar legislation, and the Committee will be

appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar

legislation moves forward so that the Committee may address

any remaining issues within its jurisdiction. The Committee

also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate

number of conferees to any House-Senate conference convened

on this legislation or similar legislation and requests your

support if such a request is made.

I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 8070 and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in your committee report and in the Congressional

Record during floor consideration of H.R. 8070. I look

forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves

through the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Jodey C. Arrington,

Chairman, Committee on the Budget.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), my friend and colleague and the chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), the chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Kelly), the chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon), a very special member of our committee who not only chairs the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation but also was the chair of the task force that spent last year studying the quality of life issues that our military families have been struggling with and helped put together the package that we have in this year's bill that addresses those issues.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz), my friend and colleague from my committee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson).

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford).

Mr. Chair, I have one additional speaker. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).

Mr. Chair, first, I thank the ranking member, my friend, Mr. Smith, who has been an outstanding partner. The Democratic staff has been very, very good to work with in fashioning this bill in a bipartisan fashion with our Republican staff, and I thank them for doing that once again.

I take great pride in the fact that our country, for 63 consecutive years, has found a way to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, no matter which party is in the majority, no matter which party is in the White House. That speaks well of our country. I want this to be the 64th year that we do the same thing.

Our national security is about to be challenged in ways that we have never imagined. The bill before us today will go a long way toward preparing our industrial base and our warfighters to overcome those challenges.

Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I strongly support requiring all of our NATO allies to meet their 2 percent obligation, but arbitrarily cutting off funding to NATO with a war raging in Eastern Europe and Putin threatening us with nuclear weapons is absolutely the wrong thing to do.

It also shoots us in the foot. Our force posture in Europe is dependent on the investments we make to NATO. We need a stronger NATO for our own defense.

Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to oppose this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Historic Main Street Oxford (HMSO), an exemplary economic and community development organization established by the Oxford City Council on July 24, 2014. For nearly a decade, HMSO has been a beacon of progress and revitalization in Northeast Alabama, embodying the principles and practices that make our communities thrive.

Historic Main Street Oxford operates under the esteemed Four Point Approach strategy of Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Vitality as outlined by Main Street America. This approach ensures HMSO remains an effective tool for community-based, volunteer-driven, grassroots revitalization efforts.

Since its inception, HMSO has been accredited by Main Street America and Main Street Alabama, a testament to its dedication to preserving the charm and vitality of downtown Oxford. Over the past decade, HMSO has welcomed 31 businesses, with 18 still successfully thriving in the downtown area. This is a clear indicator of the robust economic environment HMSO has fostered.

In 2018, HMSO launched an innovative city-funded facade grant program. This initiative

has significantly enhanced the aesthetic appeal of our downtown, with 28 projects funded, resulting in a public investment of $37,664 and a remarkable private investment of $163,296. This program not only beautifies the downtown, but also stimulates further private investment and economic growth and has had over $10 million of investment since 2014.

HMSO has played a crucial role in coordinating community events and business development workshops. These activities support local businesses and foster a strong sense of community.

HMSO stands as a model of success-based economic and community development. Its efforts have transformed downtown Oxford into a vibrant hub of activity and culture, reflecting the hard work and dedication of its leaders and volunteers. I commend HMSO for its outstanding contributions to our community and look forward to witnessing its continued success and growth.

HMSO exemplifies the power of community-driven efforts in creating sustainable and vibrant local economies. Their accomplishments over the past decade highlight the importance of preserving our historic downtowns while adapting to modern needs and opportunities. Let us celebrate and support such initiatives that enrich our communities and our lives.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the 10th anniversary of Historic Main Street Oxford.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 86th birthday of Dorothy Sanders Kendrick.

Dorothy was born on April 24, 1938, and was the second child of 10 children born to George and Eugenia Sanders.

Dorothy was married to the late William Earl Kendrick. They were blessed with six children: Leonard Kendrick, Barbara Scott, Valerie Cousin, Charles Kendrick, Anthony Kendrick and Sonya Kirk.

Dorothy has 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Dorothy loves the Lord and is a member of Greenbrier Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama.

She will be celebrated by family and friends on July 20, 2024.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing Dorothy Sanders Kendrick and wishing her a very happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 80th birthday of William Claude ``Bud'' Finley.

Bud was born on May 1, 1944, in rural Jacksonville, Alabama. He was the fifth child and the only son born to William Lee Claude Finley and Nile Borden Finley.

Bud was married to the late Barbara ``Bob'' Lipham Finley and was blessed with one daughter, Kristi. He also has a son-in-law, Danny Smith, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Bud worked for years in parts management at Ft. McClellan in Anniston, Alabama. He also served as a volunteer fireman for the Weaver Fire Department and a councilman for the City of Weaver.

Bud was a longtime member of Weaver First United Methodist Church and is an avid University of Alabama football fan.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing Bud Finley and thanking him for his service to his community and wishing him a happy 80th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Jacksonville State University Women's Bowling Team for winning the NCAA Division I National Title in the program's first season.

On April 13th, The Jacksonville State Gamecocks beat Arkansas State in a best-of-seven match to secure their title win. The game was played at Thunderbowl Lanes in Alley Park, Michigan.

Impressively, the Gamecocks completed this accomplishment in the program's first year. This is the first national championship for Jacksonville State in over thirty years and the first ever at the Division I level.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Shannon O'Keefe, the Jacksonville State University Women's Bowling team, students, faculty, and all the fans. Go Gamecocks.

Mr. Chair, I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of all of these national security supplementals. The Armed Services Committee just completed our annual military posture review hearings with our combatant commanders. Each of them raised grave concerns about how China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are working together in a new axis of evil to harm our alliances and undermine our national security.

Nowhere is this more important or apparent than in Ukraine.

China, North Korea, and Iran are eagerly aiding and abetting Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine because they know a Russian victory there will seriously undercut American credibility and deterrence and leave our allies exposed. A Russian victory will embolden Kim, Xi, and the Ayatollah to confront South Korea, Taiwan, Israel, and ultimately the United States in new and fatal ways.

I fear Putin will use victory in Ukraine as a springboard to invade Eastern Europe. We can't let that happen. We must restore American deterrence, and that starts by passing these national security supplementals.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th wedding anniversary of Robert and Katie Pyle.

Robert was born in 1936 and Katie in 1940, both in Hobson City, Alabama. The Pyles attended school in Calhoun County. Robert graduated in 1956 and Katie was valedictorian of her class in 1958.

After graduation, Robert was drafted in the U.S. Army and enrolled at Tuskegee Institute School of Nursing. After a few years of separation, Robert was stationed in Korea. Katie wrote him letters often to update him on her life in Hobson City. When Robert came home from Korea, he walked Katie to the bowling

lanes because neither had a vehicle. The following day, Robert bought himself an XL500 red Ford.

The Pyles married on April 10, 1964, and Robert was deployed to Vietnam in 1965. His service to the United States included assignments at Ft. McClellan, North Carolina, NATO-Naples, Italy, Georgia, and Korea. He retired from the Army in 1976.

The Pyles have always put God at the center of their marriage and are active members at The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Judge Stringer, III.

The Pyles have also been active in their community. Robert served as a council member and as mayor of Hobson City while Katie served on various boards.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the Pyles and thanking them for their service to their area and wishing them a happy 60th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the lives of fallen officers Allen Lee Harmon and Otis Lee Robison of the Lincoln Police Department.

November 16th will mark the 50th anniversary of Officer Harmon and Officer Robison's paying the ultimate sacrifice while in the line of duty. On November 16, 1974, the two men tragically lost their lives.

On November 15, 2024, the City of Lincoln will hold a remembrance event at Lincoln City Hall to honor the lives of Officer Harmon and Officer Robison.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in remembering Officer Harmon and Officer Robison and honoring them for their brave service and dedication to their community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Spring Garden High School Girls Basketball Team for winning the AHSAA 1A State Title for the second time.

On February 29th, the Spring Garden Panthers beat Marion County 63-31 to secure their title win. The game was played at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.

The Spring Garden girls have won back-to-back state titles just like they did in 2004 and 2005.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Ricky Austin, the Spring Garden Girls Basketball team, students, faculty and all the fans. Go Panthers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of Camp Cosby. YMCA Camp Cosby has offered youth safe and exciting adventures since 1922.

It began when the YMCA purchased 200 acres of land just north of Trussville in Birmingham, AL, with a house and a 26-acre lake, establishing YMCA Camp Cosby in 1922. Later, another 400 acres were donated by the Hodges Milling Company.

In 1972, YMCA Camp Cosby was relocated to its current location on Lake Logan Martin in Alpine, AL, with over a mile of waterfront, rolling hills and space for camp activities.

Camp Cosby was named after W.M. Cosby, the President of the Birmingham YMCA at the time. YMCA Camp Cosby serves over 2,000 campers each summer for sleepaway camp and over 3,000 additional participants during year-round youth, teen, and adult programming.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the 100th anniversary of Camp Cosby.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Jacksonville State University football team for winning their first bowl game in program history in their first season as an FBS team,

On December 16, 2023. The Jacksonville State University Gamecocks battled it out at the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, beating the University of Louisiana 34 to 31 with a walk-off field goal in overtime to secure their win. The game was played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Jacksonville State University Gamecocks finished their regular season 8-4. This was head coach Rich Rodriguez's second year with the program, the first bowl game victory in program history, and the team's first year playing at the FBS level.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Rodriguez, the Jacksonville State University football team, students, faculty and all the fans. Go Gamecocks.