Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, for the past two years, it has been my immense honor to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

This esteemed committee is charged with the ``power of the purse'' under the Constitution, and I did not take this responsibility lightly. In leading this committee, I had a singular focus on ``getting our work done.''

I am proud to say that in Fiscal Year 2019, we achieved something that hasn't been done in over two decades--passing five Appropriations bills ahead of the end of the fiscal year.

This is not a remarkable feat nor one that deserves applause. But it is historic, and it signifies that we were able to do what the American people sent us here to do: govern responsibly. This was a critical step in returning to the regular federal funding process.

These bills, which fund 75 percent of the federal government, included full funding for the Department of Defense and critical national security programs.

My deepest devotion has always been to our men and women in uniform, all volunteers--to ensure they have the resources they need to fight and succeed in our missions. For their service and sacrifice, they must know they have the full support of the government behind them. I am proud to say we achieved that, providing stability and predictability where there had been none for many years. And we were able to provide historic levels of funding for the care of our veterans who have served our nation.

Prior to this year, we laid the groundwork for this relative success. In Fiscal Year 2018, we passed all 12 bills in record time through ``regular order,'' and three Disaster Supplemental Appropriations bills, historic in scope, to help our fellow citizens in their times of need.

It is the duty of Congress to help communities and families recover in times of great tragedy and emergencies, and the Appropriations Committee was consistently able to respond quickly and get resources into the hands of many communities, states, and regions of our nation.

We achieved this all through an open and transparent process. Over the past two years, we held 160 oversight and budget hearings, received and considered tens of thousands of requests from members, and brought many bills to the floor under an open amendment process. Of this, the committee should be very proud.

One of the hallmarks of the committee is the collegiality and bipartisan spirit in which our members work. Although we did not agree on everything, we all have great respect for the committee and our Constitutional duty to fund the government. Working in this manner best serves our districts, our states, and our country.

I owe a debt of gratitude to my colleagues on the Committee, especially the Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members, for their work over the past two years. They have fought ferociously for their priorities, and their intentions have always been to make this nation a better place to live and work:

The Ranking Member of the full committee and the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and incoming Chairwoman, Mrs. Lowey of New York.

The Chairwoman of the Defense Subcommittee and incoming full committee Ranking Member, Ms. Granger of Texas.

The Ranking Member of the Defense Subcommittee, Mr. Visclosky of Indiana.

The Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee, Mr. Aderholt of Alabama.

The Ranking Member of the Agriculture Subcommittee, Mr. Bishop of Georgia.

The Chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee, Mr. Culberson of Texas.

The Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee, Mr. Serrano of New York.

The Chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Mr. Simpson of Idaho.

The Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Ms. Kaptur of Ohio.

The Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee, Mr. Graves of Georgia.

The Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee, Mr. Quigley of Illinois.

The Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, Mr. Yoder of Kansas.

The Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, Ms. Roybal- Allard of California.

The Chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, Mr. Calvert of California.

The Ranking Member of the Interior Subcommittee, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota.

The Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, Mr. Cole of Oklahoma.

The Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, Ms. DeLauro of Connecticut.

The Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Mr. Fortenberry of Nebraska.

The Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Mr. Ryan of Ohio.

The Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Mr. Carter of Texas.

The Ranking Member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Ms. Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

The Chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee and Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky.

The Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, Mr. Diaz-Balart of Florida, and

The Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, Mr. Price of North Carolina.

And the 27 other members who served the House Appropriations Committee in the 115th Congress with honor and dedication.

The committee would not have achieved all we did without the work of our faithful staff. These men and women spent countless hours-- sacrificing time with their families, including holidays--preparing for many public hearings and shepherding our legislation to the House floor and to passage. I cannot thank them enough for their time, energy, and professional expertise:

From our front office

Nancy Fox, Staff Director; Maureen Holohan, Shannon O'Keefe, Jennifer Hing, Jason Gray, Marta Hernandez, Tammy Hughes, Rachel Kahler, Parker Van de Water, Tom Doelp, and the late Stephen Sepp.

The Majority's subcommittee professional staff

Tom O'Brien, Andrew Cooper, Justin Masucci, John Martens, Jeff Ashford, Leslie Albright, Colin Samples, Taylor Kelly, Jennifer Miller, Walter Hearne, Brooke Boyer, BG Wright, Allison Deters, Sherry Young, Matt Bower.

Jackie Ripke, Hayden Milberg, Bill Adkins, Barry Walker, Angie Giancarlo, Loraine Heckenberg, Perry Yates, Amy Murphy, Dena Baron, Ariana Sarar, Marybeth Nassif, Brad Allen, Donna Shahbaz, Kris Mallard, Laura Cylke, Robert Joachim.

Dave Roth, Darren Benjamin, Betsy Bina, Jaclyn Kilroy, Kristin Richmond, Susan Ross, Jennifer Cama, Justin Gibbons, Karyn Richman, Lori Bias, Jennifer Panone, Tim Monahan, Sue Quantius, Sarah Young, Kiya Batmanglidj.

Tracey Russell, Craig Higgins, Susan Adams, David Bortnick, Winnie Chang, Dean Koulouris, Clelia Alvarado, Doug Disrud, Cheryle Tucker, Carl Barrick, Jennifer Hollrah, Matt Anderson.

And in the minority

Shalanda Young, Staff Director; Chris Bigelow; Bob Bonner, Martha Foley, Steve Marchese, Joe Carlile, Matt Washington, Matthew Smith, Darek Newby, Erin Kolodjeski, Becky Leggieri, David Reich.

Angela Ohm, Stephen Steigleder, Lisa Molyneux, Rita Culp, Jocelyn Hunn, Robin Juliano, Adam Berg, Jennifer Chartrand, Jaime Shimek, Evan Hollander, Jeri Sparling, Tom Tucker.

I salute each and every member of the Professional Staff of the House Appropriations Committee--who are truly the unsung heroes of Congress.

My father, a former Member of Congress himself, reminded me often that as Members of Congress, we are temporary stewards of the public trust. I have sincerely endeavored to earn that trust every day. I thank my colleagues for placing their confidence in me as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I thank my personal office staff in Morristown, NJ, and Washington, D.C., and most importantly, I thank my constituents and my home state for the honor of a lifetime serving as the Representative from New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1183, I call up the bill (H.R. 695) to amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a voluntary national criminal history background check system and criminal history review program for certain individuals who, related to their employment, have access to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 695, a bill making further additional continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2019.

This measure keeps our government open until February 8, 2019, and prevents a costly, destabilizing government shutdown. This continuing resolution reflects the House position on

border security and provides $5 billion for the construction of physical barriers at our borders.

This is the same amount that was provided in the Homeland Security funding bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee back in July of this year. In addition, this legislation includes $7.8 billion in supplemental funding for disaster relief.

Congress has always been responsive to hurricanes, and wildfires, and typhoons, and other natural disasters. We must continue to do so to help our fellow Americans as they rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

I don't support a government shutdown, and I never have. Americans deserve stability and predictability of a government that is 100 percent operational. I would have much preferred to complete negotiations on our remaining seven bills with our Senate counterparts, but there were several very challenging issues that remained. As I stated before, a continuing resolution is the last resort when it comes to funding the Federal Government.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I urge the Senate to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice).

(Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Rice).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), a member of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the Republican whip.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote ``yes'' on the bill, to keep the government open until February 8, to support critical border security, which is badly needed, and to look after the needs of so many Americans who have suffered from so many disasters over this past year.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Earl ``Rusty'' Powell III, on the occasion of his retirement, after 26 years as director of the National Gallery of Art, located in Washington, D.C.

Rusty is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. After graduating with degrees in art history and European history, Rusty served three years of active duty as an officer with the United States Navy, including a tour in Vietnam before joining the reserves. After his service, Rusty continued his education at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts earning both his masters and doctorate degrees in art history. Prior to his directorship at the National Gallery, Rusty served as a professor of art history at the University of Texas and was director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

In 1992, Rusty was named director of the National Gallery of Art. During his tenure, the Gallery has undergone major renovations including the creation of the Sculpture Garden and the expansion and complete renovation of the East Wing. In addition to the growth of the physical structure, the National Gallery's collection has continued to grow while increasing recognition for underrepresented and living artists. Rusty focused on utilizing the permanent collection in new ways rather than large loan exhibits.

In addition to his work at the National Gallery, Rusty serves as the chailman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and a trustee of the American Federation of the Arts, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Norton Simon Museum, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the White House Historical Association. He is a member of numerous arts organizations, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, among others. Rusty's awards include the Chevalier

de la Legion d'Honneur and the Officier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, both from France; the Commendatore dell'Ordine al Merito della Republica Italiana; the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle; Norway's King Olav Medal; the Williams College Bicentennial Medal; the Centennial Medal, awarded by the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary; and the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 2014.

With Rusty's leadership and support over the last 26 years, every division at the Gallery has experienced tremendous growth and contributed to art historical scholarship, conservation, and museology at the highest standard of excellence. Since Powell's first year as director in 1992, the Gallery has welcomed more than 122 million visitors.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating Rusty, on the occasion of his retirement, after 26 years of exceptional service to the National Gallery of Art.

Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call 430, I am not recorded.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 430.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Appropriations be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 143) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, December 10, 2018, for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Speaker, every year, more high school seniors from the 11th Congressional District trade in varsity jackets for Navy pea coats, Air Force flight suits, and Army brass buckles than most other districts in the country. In fact, this is nothing new--our area has repeatedly sent an above average portion of its sons and daughters to the nation's military academies for decades.

This fact should not come as a surprise. The educational excellence of area schools is well known and has long been a magnet for families looking for the best environment in which to raise their children. Our graduates are skilled not only in mathematics, science, and social studies, but also have solid backgrounds in sports, debate teams, and other extracurricular activities. This diverse upbringing makes military academy recruiters sit up and take note--indeed, many recruiters know our towns and schools by name.

Since the 1830s, Members of Congress have enjoyed meeting, talking with, and nominating superb young people to our military academies. But how did this process evolve? In 1843, when West Point was the sole academy, Congress ratified the nominating process and became directly involved in the makeup of our military's leadership. This was not an act of an imperial Congress bent on controlling every aspect of government. Rather, the procedure still used today was, and is, a further check and balance in our democracy. It was originally designed to weaken and divide political coloration in the officer corps, provide geographical balance to our armed services, and to make the officer corps more resilient to unfettered nepotism and handicapped European armies.

In 1854, Representative Gerritt Smith of New York added a new component to the academy nomination process, the academy review board. This was the first time a Member of Congress appointed prominent citizens from his district to screen applicants and assist with the serious duty of nominating candidates for academy admission. Today, I am honored to continue this wise tradition in my service to the 11th Congressional District.

My Academy Review Board is composed of local citizens who have shown exemplary service to New Jersey, to their communities, and to the continued excellence of education in our area; many are veterans. Although from diverse backgrounds and professions, they all share a common vision, that the best qualified and motivated graduates attend our academies. And, as true for most volunteer panels, their service goes largely unnoticed.

I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank them publicly for participating in this important panel. Being on the board requires hard work and an objective mind. Members have the responsibility of interviewing upwards of 50 outstanding young men and women every year in the academy review process.

The nomination process follows a general timetable. High school seniors mail personal information directly to the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy once they become interested in attending. Information includes academic achievement, college entry test scores, and other activities. At this time, they also inform my office of their desire to be nominated.

The academies then assess the applicants, rank them based on the data supplied, and return the files to my office with their notations. In late November, our Academy Review Board interviews all of the applicants over the course of 2 days. They assess a student's qualifications and analyze character, desire to serve, and other talents that may not appear on paper.

This year the board interviewed 50 applicants. The Board's recommendations are then forwarded to the academies, where recruiters review files and notify applicants of their final decision on admission.

As these highly motivated and talented young men and women go through the academy nominating process, never let us forget the sacrifice they are preparing to make: to defend our country and protect our citizens. This holds especially true at a time when our nation is fighting the war against terrorism. Whether it is in the Middle East, Africa or other troubled spots around the world, no doubt we are constantly reminded that wars are fought by the young. And, while our military missions are both important and dangerous, it is reassuring to know that we continue to put America's best and brightest in command.

Academy Nominees for 2019, 11th Congressional District

Air Force Academy

Matthew Forget, St. Peter's Preparatory School

James Galbraith, Morristown High School

Sarah Houser, Morristown High School

Justus von Lengerke, Montclair Kimberly Academy

Lazarra Mazza-Hilway, Passaic Valley High School

John Pendergrast, West Morris Mendham High School

Paul Rickershauser, Morristown High School

Bradley Rindos, Chatham High School

Rachel Schneider, Passaic County Technical Institute

Tori Seeland, Sparta High School

Merchant Marine Academy

Connor Collins, Mountain Lakes High School

Mission Kercher, Mountain Lakes High School

Ryan Mayes, Chatham High School

Mason Morales, Bloomfield High School

Grace Rose, Passaic Valley Regional High School

Carter Sheridan, Sparta High School

Military Academy

Russell Eberding, U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School

Reilly Hughes, Montclair Kimberly Academy

Sean Lee, Chatham High School

Patrick McGurrin, Sparta High School

Colin Morgan, West Orange High School

Pierce Moul, West Orange High School

Maria Pacelli, Wayne Valley High School

Connor Tsikitas, St. Joseph's Regional High School

Edward Wolf, Depaul Catholic High School

Kai Youngren, Newark Academy

Naval Academy

Matthew Dubois, Xavier High School

Stuart Fechhelm, West Morris Mendham High School

Nicolas Galup, St. Peter's Preparatory School

Douglas Gologorsky, Montville Township High School

Arush Naidu, Delbarton High School

Calvin Poche, University of Wisconsin-Madison

William Stoddard, Sparta High School

Quinten Tomaro, Chatham High School

Sarah Williams, Morristown-Beard School

Antonio Zaccaria, West Essex Regional High School

Mr. Speaker, on roll calls 421 and 422, I am not recorded. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 421; and Yea on Roll Call No. 422.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad located in the Township of Wayne, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 75th Anniversary.

Born out of necessity, the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad has grown over the past seven decades to become an efficient, well- operated organization that responds to over five thousand calls each year. Back in 1942, Wayne suffered the loss of eight lives during the bitterly cold week of February 8-14. At that time, there was no local first aid squad, and ambulance services were provided by neighboring units in Pompton Lakes, Little Falls, and Cedar Grove, as well as by Paterson hospitals. Seeing the need to have a squad within the township, a group of concerned citizens took it upon themselves to establish a local ambulance corps, which became a reality one year later.

In 1943, the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad was officially formed, and the first call was responded to on September 1, 1944. The original headquarters was located on Oak Street on the property of Captain William Taylor, the first president of the squad. During the early years, Wayne also responded to calls in half of Totowa and all of Lincoln Park, until these communities developed squads of their own.

The headquarters moved in 1950 to Boonton Road, now Mountainview Boulevard, on a site currently occupied by American Legion Post No. 174 before eventually moving to the

Mountain View building on Taylor Drive. As Wayne Township continued to expand, a second building was added on Hamburg Turnpike, giving the township two facilities at opposite ends of town. An addition of bay areas to the Hamburg Turnpike facility took place in 1992, and proved to be of great value, especially after fire destroyed the Mountain View building and all equipment had to be moved and stored.

The first ambulance for the Wayne squad was a 1942 recycled Buick hearse, which was obtained from Chicago. In 1954, a 1952 Cadillac became the second ambulance for the corps, and the original Buick was replaced by another Cadillac. The first two rescue vehicles were a Jeep wagon and a Chevrolet truck, which could transport personnel and equipment but could not carry patients from an accident site. This problem was solved with the addition of a Multi-Carry Rescue (MCR) vehicle in the early 1970's, and later by a rescue truck with a custom- designed box on a Ford diesel chassis obtained in 1987.

The organization that started out with only a handful of people has now grown to over 80 trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). All members receive this type of training, and may also complete courses with the State Police in heavy rescue work. The establishing of the Youth Squad in 1973 allowed youngsters 16 to 18 years of age to serve in an auxiliary capacity, and many went on to become members of the squad. Now known as the Cadet Corps, active members are still being sought.

The Squad has come a long way in the more than sixty-five years since the original ``hearse'' responded to its first call. Modern equipment, consisting of five modular ambulances and a state of the art rescue truck, highly-trained volunteers, and efficient communication systems, provide Wayne and surrounding municipalities and the County of Passaic, with the finest service by men and women who give much time and effort to serve others.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad, on the occasion of its 75th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Bloomfield College located in the Township of Bloomfield, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 150th Anniversary.

For 150 years, Bloomfield College has been helping students write their own stories. With its beginnings as the German Theological School founded by the Presbytery of Newark in 1868, the College has evolved to become one of New Jersey's best private colleges, serving a diverse population and preparing students for success in a multicultural and global society.

Originally located on the grounds of First German Presbyterian Church in Newark, New Jersey, the school moved to the former Bloomfield Academy on Franklin Street in Bloomfield in 1872, which was renamed Seibert Hall in honor of the school's first president, Reverend George Seibert. The hall served as a dormitory, classrooms, faculty housing, and library.

In 1909, the New Jersey Legislature authorized the school to grant the Bachelor of Arts degree in addition to a Bachelor of Divinity. In 1913, the German Theological Seminary changed its name to Bloomfield Theological Seminary.

Over the years, as the local population began to reflect greater diversity, students came to the college not only to study theology, but to gain a solid liberal arts education. In post-World War I years, the college received approval for a four-year program and the school's name was again changed to Bloomfield College and Seminary. In 1961, the school simply became known as Bloomfield College.

Today, Bloomfield College is on the cutting edge of innovation in higher education, offering over 60 majors and concentrations in seven academic divisions. Bloomfield is an institution where over 2,000 bold and courageous students from all corners of the globe can come to find themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating Bloomfield College, on the occasion of its 150th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Paul Boudreau on the occasion of his retirement after 10 years as President of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, located in the Borough of Florham Park, County of Morris, New Jersey.

Paul A. Boudreau is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire in Durham. After receiving his Masters Degree at the University of Maine, he ran successfully for the Maine House of Representatives in 1976 and 1978. Paul also worked for Scott Paper Company, after his two legislative terms, as Manager of Public Affairs, New England Region.

In 1983, he joined Allied Corporation (Honeywell) and moved to Detroit, Michigan as manager, government and public affairs, for company operations in six mid-western states. In 1996, he returned to Morris Township, New Jersey, as Director of State Government Relations. In this capacity, he was responsible for state and local government relations in North America. He also served for six years as Executive Director of the Honeywell Foundation and was a member of the company's Political Action Committee Board for ten years. During his career at Honeywell, he worked on business-critical issues covering twenty-five states. He retired as Vice President of State and Corporate Relations after twenty-five years with the company.

Paul joined the Chamber in the summer of 2008. He has led the effort to grow the organization from 660 members in 2008 to 840 today. Under his leadership the chamber's Economic Development Corporation is providing value added services to organizations to retain and growing jobs in Morris County. He has served in leadership roles with a number of state and local organizations including

the New Jersey Business & Industry Association; the Chemical Industry Council of New Jersey; United Way of Morris County; the Community Soup Kitchen; the Morris County Airport Advisory Committee; the Somerset Hills YMCA and other organizations.

In 2012, Paul was nominated by Governor Chris Christie and confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate to serve with six other commissioners on the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). PERC is a state administrative agency charged with administering the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act. The agency deals with certain labor relations issues involving public employers, public employees, and unions that represent public employees.

Paul is a strong team player with a proven track record of successfully working with cross functional teams, and worked closely with Chamber staff, Cabinet members and general membership. His leadership has been invaluable to New Jersey and to the preservation and expansion of Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township, and multiple programs that serve active duty servicemen and women, their families, and veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating Paul on the occasion of his retirement from the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Mountain Lakes Junior Fire Department located in the Borough of Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

The Mountain Lakes Junior Fire Department (MLJFD) was first established in 1941 to supplement manpower during World War II. It was disbanded in 1945 and reestablished in 1968 and has been a strong force in the community ever since. The department is made up of high school students ranging from 16-18 years in age. Currently there are 22 members serving in the junior department, with an active waiting list.

The juniors receive much of the same training as the senior members. The juniors drill two to three Sundays a month and they also attend monthly senior drills and meetings. The junior department currently has four officers: chief, deputy chief, and two captains. The officers are appointed by the senior advisors for a one year term. The junior officers are responsible for the supervision of the other junior members at drills, fires and other emergencies.

The department presents an annual service award to three graduating seniors who have served in the junior fire department. The award is named in memory of two long time Mountain Lakes Volunteer Fire Department members, James Bott Sr. and his son, Robert. The criterion for the award is based on attendance at drills, fire calls and other department activities. The awards are presented annually at the Mountain Lakes High School moving up day ceremony.

The department also voted to name a special award in memory of Firefighter Thomas Taylor. Tom was a long time resident of Mountain Lakes and served in the department for 53 years. The recipient of the award will be a member of the junior department and selected by the junior board of officers.

On March 25, 2003, a ceremony was held for the Mountain Lakes Junior Fire Department for placing first in the 2002 Junior Emergency Service Excellence Award sponsored by Volunteer Fire Insurance Service. Hundreds of applications were received from junior fire departments and junior ambulance squads from across the country. The juniors received a $1,000 check, a plaque and were listed as the recipient of the award in national fire publications.

The Mountain Lakes Junior Fire Department serves as a model for other departments. The department has been integral in establishing other junior fire departments in Morris, Passaic, Essex, and Sussex counties.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating the Mountain Lakes Junior Fire Department, on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Bethel Church of Morristown located in the Town of Morristown, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 175th Anniversary.

In 1841, several families left the Presbyterian Church of Morristown to form the Bethel Mite Society, which was later incorporated as Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Morristown in 1843. Bethel's first Pastor was Bishop Willis Nazery, who was born a slave in 1803 in Isle of Wight County in Virginia. For eight years the congregation met in each other's homes until funds were raised to construct the Carpenter Gothic church on Spring Street in 1849. Bethel's first building was dedicated with Bishop Paul Quinn officiating, assisted by Pastor Thomas Oliver.

Bethel served as the only school for Colored and Native American children in Morris County and needed to expand its facilities. In 1874, a new lot on Spring Street was purchased from John R. and Cornelia Piper for the sum of $2,000. A new church was constructed at an estimated cost of $3,000. Gifts from Mrs. Mary Anne Cobb of pews, doors and windows from the old Methodist Church, on the Morristown Green, helped in this great work. The existing house on the lot was moved next door and used as a parsonage. The church remained in that building for nearly 100 years.

Under the leadership of Pastor A. Lewis Williams, a ground breaking ceremony was held for a new church on August 12, 1967. The congregation worshipped in the Lafayette School auditorium for two and one half years until the construction of the church was completed. After numerous setbacks and financial difficulties, the present church was completed and dedicated November 8, 1970. Rev. A. Lewis Williams subsequently served as the Editor of the Christian Recorder from 1973 to 1976.

In 2010, Pastor Sidney Williams became the 51st pastor in the church's history. Prior to that, he served as a missionary with his family in Cape Town, South Africa. The church was not having the impact on the community that its members desired. To increase the impact on the community, Pastor Sidney Williams, with his wife Teresa, and the leadership team of Bethel discerned a new vision for community outreach, spiritual growth and evangelism. The church became more ``community oriented'' to serve both believers and unbelievers. Bethel Church was also working to transition from a small family church to a growing church with decentralized ministries, focusing on newcomers, small groups, and discipleship. The goal was to give people biblical truths that helped them Live the Mission.

In 2014, Bethel Church introduced a set of core values: prayer, love, and respect. These ideals serve to inspire Bethel Members to make its congregation the most loving and spirit filled congregation in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating the Bethel Church of Morristown, on the occasion of its 175th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 302.

Hurricane Florence struck North and South Carolina last week, leading to the loss of many lives and incredible hardship for thousands of families. This Chamber's thoughts are with those devastated by the storm, particularly those who lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their loved ones.

My thanks to the House Appropriations Committee's chairs, especially their dedicated appropriations staff for their quick action to provide this initial supplemental appropriation of $1.68 billion included in this legislative package. They did the same good job on behalf of the residents of the Carolinas as they did for the victims of Harvey, Irene, and Maria, whose issues and crises we addressed last year.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the bill in all aspects.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1077, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 6157) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor this afternoon to present the conference report for H.R. 6157. This conference report provides full-year funding for the Department of Defense and for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. It also includes a continuing resolution through December 7, 2018, for Federal Government programs and agencies not covered by the enacted appropriations legislation.

Congress has no greater duty than to provide for our common defense. This legislation fulfills this constitutional responsibility. The Department of Defense is now set to receive its full funding on time for the first time in over 10 years.

Providing this stability and predictability to our military leaders is a necessary and welcome step as we rebuild our Armed Forces. For far too long, their dedication to duty has been weakened by declining and uncertain budgets.

Congress has turned that around, beginning with significant investments in last year's omnibus and continuing this year with an additional $17 billion in base funding for the Department of Defense.

In total, the conference report provides $674.4 billion for our Armed Forces, consistent with levels that are authorized. This funding ensures our troops have the resources they need to defend our Nation and succeed in their global missions. This includes funding to sustain ongoing overseas contingency operations and to support increased troop levels.

It also ensures our warfighters have the training, readiness, and other resources needed to prepare for their missions, and a pay raise of 2.6 percent.

This conference report also replenishes our military might, investing $148 billion in new and modernized equipment and weapons platforms and $96.1 billion for research and development to improve the lethality, effectiveness, and safety of our defense systems.

In addition to this critical funding for our national defense, this legislation also includes funding for vital domestic programs. The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill provides $178 billion for programs that protect the health, education, and labor standards that all Americans deserve.

Funding is directed to programs that have wide national benefit, in particular, the National Institutes of Health, which receives a $2 billion increase to bolster its lifesaving research.

Notably, funding to fight the opioid abuse epidemic receives historic funding levels, totalling $6.6 billion. This will support treatment, prevention, research, and other efforts to end this national crisis.

Another top priority is increased funding to keep our children safe in schools. This includes funding for mental health and other protective measures.

Lastly, the Labor-HHS bill invests in our future, creating economic opportunity and helping students get ahead and be part of a well- trained 21st century workforce.

In addition to these two appropriations bills I mentioned earlier, the conference report includes a continuing resolution through the remaining areas of the Federal Government not covered by this or previous bills that have already been signed into law. This will ensure that the government, indeed, stays open for business.

Upon enactment of this legislation, Congress will have provided full- year funding for three-quarters of the Federal Government, but there is more work to be done on the remaining appropriations bills.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is yet another step forward to our goal of returning to what we call regular order and fully funding the Federal Government for the fiscal year. It is a product of months of hard work on the part of our conference committee, led by Chairwoman Kay Granger and Chairman Tom Cole, along with Ranking Member Peter Visclosky and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro.

I thank them, of course, and I especially thank my counterpart, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), my ranking member, who has worked with me through this process as well as earlier bills. We have had a friendship for well over 20 years of service jointly on the Appropriations Committee.

And, yes, I thank our Senate counterparts for helping us complete this work as well.

This conference report would not be on the floor today without the Appropriations Committee's dedicated professional and associate staff. I extend to all of them my deepest gratitude for their dedication, service, and hard work.

In the front office, as we call it, Nancy Fox, my staff director; Maureen Holohan; Shannon O'Keefe; Jason Gray; Tammy Hughes; Rachel Kahler; Jennifer Hing; Marta Hernandez; Parker Van de Water; and Tom Doelp; and in working closely with us in the minority, Shalanda Young and Chris Bigelow, and others. I am grateful to all these men and women for their professionalism and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the conference report, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Defense.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield the gentleman from Oklahoma an additional 1 minute.

I yield the gentleman from Oklahoma an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, my predecessor.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), the chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations.

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I just want to correct the record. I introduced Judge Carter as the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee. I want to acknowledge his former chairmanship of that committee and his able leadership of the Military Construction Subcommittee.

And also I forgot to recognize my personal staff, Katie Hazlett, and the wonderful people in my office--which is I think true of all of our offices--that make us look as good as they possibly can.

And lastly, as we gather here this afternoon, we recognize that so many young men and women are serving around the world, leaving their families on multiple deployments. We honor their service and sacrifice. They are truly doing the work of freedom.

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