Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent in the engrossment of the bill, H.R. 6157, the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections and conforming changes, including inserting amendment No. 1 printed in House Report 115-785 at the end of the bill.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, earlier in this debate, we thanked all the members of the staff who made this great bill a reality through their good efforts: the professional staff, associate staff, and all those who work in our personal offices. Again, I would like to do that on all of our behalf.

Mr. Chairman, I especially thank Chairwoman Granger and Ranking Member Visclosky for their leadership, and the involvement of all those on the floor in the production of this bill. But, at this time, I would like to offer special recognition to one in particular: the late Stephen Sepp, the Appropriations Committee's resident budget expert.

Sepp, as he was known by all, died earlier this month, but he left his mark on this bill and on our committee. His funeral was held today at St. Peter's Catholic Church, in Olney, Maryland, and attended by hundreds of Members and his friends from Capitol Hill and the appropriations family.

Among many things, Sepp was the caretaker of the all-important 302(b) sub-allocations. Through his careful work from his desk in the Capitol, upstairs here, and from home, in the final months of his illness, he ensured that the Congress provided adequate funding--may I say well over $1 trillion--not just for the Department of Defense, but for all 12 Appropriations bills.

This, of course, required a deep understanding of the policy and budgetary needs of each and every aspect of these bills, and a base of knowledge and situational awareness of all the various political factors at play. He expertly maneuvered this huge responsibility with skill, savvy, and an immense amount of poise.

Sepp embodied strength, facing both professional and personal challenges equally with grace and fortitude. In short, he made a difference in the lives of all he touched--literally millions--as well as the lives of Americans in every part of the country.

We extend our love to his wife, Diem; his two children; and family. We will always remember him.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and contributions of Mr. Carmine Spinelli, a native of Borough of Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey who achieved an extraordinary record of leadership during his four decades of service to our great United States Army.

His path to making enduring contributions to our national security was apparently established by his father, an immigrant factory worker with a fifth grade education, who encouraged his son to pursue engineering as a profession. Based on that advice, young Carmine found himself in Indiana pursuing studies at Purdue University.

Armed with a degree in metallurgical engineering, Carmine started an entry-level position at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township back in his home state in 1958. He never left. He earned promotion after promotion until he reached the top research job at Picatinny. As Technical Director of the Armaments Research and Development Engineering Center (ARDEC), a member of the Senior Executive Service, he managed an annual budget of more than $600 million and a technical staff of over 2000 scientists and engineers and another 2000 support personnel. At ARDEC, his enduring contributions include the areas of armament and systems engineering, innovation, life cycle engineering, acquisition strategy, and national and international policy.

During his distinguished career at ARDEC, Carmine led teams responsible for all varieties of weaponry, from small bullets shot from pistols and rifles to tank ammunition and artillery systems. An early advocate of modeling, simulation, and prototyping, he helped usher in an era of ``smart ammunitions'' with pinpoint accuracy to help save lives throughout the world.

His was an impressive record of accomplishment. Among his government awards: Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service Award (1998, 1990); Presidential Rank Meritorious Award (1996); Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award (1995); SES Performance Award (1994,1993, 1992) NDIA Firepower Award (1988); Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award (1987, 1982); Honorable Order of Saint Barbara (1987), Technical Director's Award--ARRADCOM (1981), Army Research and Development Award (1965) and many Merit Performance Awards.

Since my election to Congress in 1994, I have been proud to work side-by-side with Carmine to advance the work conducted at Picatinny Arsenal--the Joint Center of Excellence for Armaments. As noted, he received many awards and honors for his efforts on bombs, bullets and more potent weapons systems. However, I believe he would not dispute that his greatest work was done in the area of human resources. His innovative and creative hiring practices led to the hiring and development of a whole new generation of highly skilled and talented armament engineers--men and women who today are ensuring that our joint warfighters have the tools and systems they need to meet every emerging threat on the battlefield. As Carmine liked to remind us, ``every warfighter deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan or some other global `hot spot' carried a bit of Picatinny with them.''

After his formal service at Picatinny ended, Carmine Spinelli still labored every day to boost the Arsenal, the Army and veterans across our State in various capacities, including as the unsung Chairman of the New Jersey Council on Armed Forces and Veteran's Affairs, which advocates for all of the State's military installations and missions.

Carmine Spinelli leaves behind a loving family. He is survived by his wife, Roseanne, son, David and daughter, Dina. We grieve along with them and hold them close in our thoughts and prayers.

While he was my constituent for a few short years, he has always been my friend. Carmine Spinelli will be sorely missed in his hometown of Raritan and in the many communities outside the Cannon Gates at Picatinny Arsenal.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcalls 291, 292, and 293, I am not recorded. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 291, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 292, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 293.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentlewoman for the time and rise in strong support of her bill, the Defense appropriations

bill. I know I join Mrs. Lowey in congratulating Ms. Granger and Mr. Visclosky for their excellent Defense appropriations bill and their joint dedication to a very bipartisan product. They continue, I think, a very proud tradition.

Let me also acknowledge and thank the men and women who helped produce the bill who stand or sit behind us and who have been mentioned by both the ranking member and chairman. I want to thank them for making us look good and making sure that we have a very professional product.

I do want to take the opportunity to thank the personal staff of the members on the committee as well as Steve Wilson from my office who has worked on my behalf for 15 years on defense issues.

The distinguished chair, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Visclosky have outlined the specific recommendations and highlights of their bill. As we are aware, the bill totals $675.6 billion for the Department of Defense. This is consistent, as Ms. Granger has mentioned, with the bicameral, bipartisan budget agreement hammered out last spring.

In addition to the increased funding in this bill, the balanced budget agreement also has provided what we call critically important stability and predictability to the Department of Defense, our Armed Forces, and our defense industrial base. Enhancing their ability to plan even in the short term is good news for national defense and that of our partners.

For the future, I am deeply concerned that a return to the arbitrary caps established under the Budget Control Act 8 years ago would again force a return to the shortsighted, budget-driven thinking on national security spending that took place in recent years.

Mr. Chairman, the rebuilding of our military continues today with this legislation. This bill includes funding for more equipment, more munitions, more troops, and more training. Restoring readiness is a key objective of this proposal.

We routinely ask our men and women in uniform--all volunteers--to go to great lengths to complete their missions, and they must be well- equipped, well-trained, and well-supported. That is why this bill includes $246 billion for operation and maintenance--funding that will provide for more battle training, more flight hours, more steaming days, and more depot maintenance.

The bill also includes a total of $144 billion for military personnel, increasing the size of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. I would also note that the chairman has mentioned we provide a 2.6 percent pay increase for our troops--the largest such pay increase in 9 years.

The bill also looks after our Armed Forces and their families by providing funding for the Defense Health Program, continuing critical research, and sustaining the well-being of our military's most valuable resource--its people.

Beyond these important investments that will rebuild our military in the near term, the bill prepares for the future by providing research and development funding to modernize our military to meet current and future threats: the continued menace of terrorist networks in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa; ongoing threats by Iran and North Korea; the belligerent re-emergence of China; and the military expansionism of Russia and China.

Mr. Chairman, the legislation also acknowledges emerging dangers and challenges at home and abroad posed by drones, cyber war, and transnational crime, and makes investments in capabilities such as ISR and artificial intelligence to prepare and protect against these threats.

In short, this bill prepares our warfighters to meet any challenge anywhere at any time.

Mr. Chairman, the Department of Defense appropriations bill before the House today is the largest and arguably the most important bill of our annual appropriations process. It deserves our support.

I congratulate the chairman, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Visclosky for putting forward an excellent bill on behalf of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 20 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, June 27, 2018, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Township of Montclair, County of Essex, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 150th Anniversary.

The story of Montclair as a settled community begins with the Crane family. Azariah Crane, his wife Mary Treat Crane, and their son Nathaniel, built a home in 1694 near the present intersection of Orange Road and Myrtle Avenue. Other pioneers arrived soon after, and the frontier settlement of Cranetown came into being in what is now the southern part of Montclair.

During the Revolutionary War, First Mountain in Montclair provided observation points for following the movements of the British to the east. A strong tradition holds that both George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette were in Cranetown briefly in October of 1780. The boulder at the comer of Claremont Avenue and Valley Road marking the site of ``Washington's Headquarters'' is one of Montclair's better- known landmarks.

Beginning about 1800, several developments led to the transformation of Cranetown into a small commercial center. One development was the opening of a general store by Israel Crane. Further, in 1806, Crane led a group of businessmen in obtaining a charter from the State for building the Newark-Pompton Turnpike. Constructed over the next several years, the turnpike came through Montclair as Bloomfield Avenue and vastly increased the flow of commerce. Israel Crane broke new ground as well in opening a wool mill on Toney's Brook. Other small industries followed. Also important for the economic development of the area was the completion of the Morris Canal in 1831. In 1812, the Bloomfield ward of Newark became a separate township, which included the future Montclair. The village of Cranetown now became known as West Bloomfield and a post office was established under that name.

The most decisive event for the emergence of Montclair was the coming of railroads. By 1860 West Bloomfield was becoming a commuter town with its own marked identity and influential residents persuaded the post office to adopt the name Montclair.

The population of the community grew rapidly as New York businessmen and their families began building homes along the mountainside. The new residents sought to create in Montclair a model ``country town'' with convenient access to the city. Their vision was shared by a notable artist colony that began forming in the 1870's. A central figure was the landscape painter, George Inness. Able and dedicated community leaders endowed the town with superior schools, an excellent public library, a distinguished art museum and many large and influential churches.

By the opening of the 20th century, a richly diverse population characterized the community. A new influx of New Englanders was joined by African-Americans from the South and by Irish, Germans, Italians, Scandinavians and others newly arrived from Europe. Great mansions went up, but so did many modest homes. Between 1880 and 1930, Montclair's population leaped from 5,147 to 42,017. The period following World War II was marked by tremendous expansion of the metropolitan area. New suburbs popped up in the hinterland along with shopping malls and corporate offices.

Montclair is home to New Jersey's second largest public university, Montclair State University. Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, Montclair State University is a leading institution of higher education in New Jersey. Designated a Research Doctoral University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the University's 11 colleges and schools serve more than 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300 doctoral, master's and baccalaureate programs. Situated on a beautiful, 252-acre suburban campus just 12 miles from New York City, Montclair State delivers the instructional and research resources of a large public university in a supportive, sophisticated and diverse academic environment.

Today Montclair is a community of about 39,000 inhabitants. Its heritage in education has been enhanced by its innovative public and private school educational programs and the expanded offerings at Montclair State University. Once again it has become a haven for artists and writers. This is a seasoned community whose many old houses enhance its charm, yet at the dawn of a new century, Montclair remains alive to the spirit of the times.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Borough of Bloomingdale, County of Passaic, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 100th Anniversary.

As early as 1700, the Dutch began settling --what is now known today as Bloomingdale, named after the town of Bloomingdale in Holland. In 1734, mineral resources were discovered in Bloomingdale by Cornelius Board. Board was shown the iron deposits by local natives near the Ringwood River by the Sterling Forest. After locating the ore, Board built the first ever small iron furnace in the region. German miners were brought over to work the mine. The mine would change hand two times, first to John and Uzal Ogden and Newark associates, and then to the American Iron Company. This company was London-based, bringing in immigrants from England.

Bloomingdale is most known for is the important role it played in the Revolutionary War. One can find a plaque on the Federal Hill Historic Site that commemorates the Pompton Mutiny on Federal Hill in what is today Bloomingdale. On January 20, 1781, 200-300 Continental soldiers mutinied. Their plan was to march to Trenton to make their demands, which included complaints about food, clothing, and pay. General George Washington decided to make an example of these mutinous soldiers, and they were met by General Howe's army on their way to Trenton. Although they were dealt with harshly, Washington did concede to their demands, admitting that there was a truth behind them.

The aforementioned mining activities in Bloomingdale increased in 1807 when Martin J. Ryerson purchased the mining area from American Iron Company and greatly developed the area by building more furnaces and rolling mills. When he died in 1839, his grandson who shared his name, Martin J. Ryerson, continued the work. He further established the family name in the town by opening a company general store where the Bloomingdale Laundromat is today. A large portion of the store's produce came from the animals of the Ryerson farm, especially pigs. As a result, many ``old timers'' refer to this area of the town as ``Porktown''.

In April 1871, Ryerson continued to expand Bloomingdale's reputation by introducing the New Jersey Midland Railway to the town. The citizens happily celebrated the first train that came into the town. Bloomingdale did not become its own borough until February 23, 1918, when Pompton Township split up to create the three towns of Bloomingdale, Ringwood, and Wanaque.

After World War II, Bloomingdale constructed a housing duplex on borough-owned property to be sold to veterans. In order to honor the men from this region who went to war, a World War II Memorial was constructed by the Borough and the American Legion.

Bloomingdale today is a small town with about 8,000 residents, most of whom are of modest means who own their own homes and are employed by small local businesses. Bloomingdale is proud about its ``American Small Town'' history, as stated by Mayor Jonathon Dunleavy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating the Borough of Bloomingdale on the occasion of its Centennial Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the First Presbyterian Church of Hanover, located in the Township of East Hanover, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 300th Anniversary.

While the current First Presbyterian Church of Hanover standing today was built in 1835, the earliest record of the church dates back to September 2, 1718. This church has a long, rich history, and was placed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 1977.

As the state and country grew, more churches were established in the area, as

seen by the ``sister churches'' established in Morristown, Madison, and Parsippany. In 1755, the Hanover Church was rebuilt not far from where it currently stands. During the Revolution, the Hanover Church served as a hospital for the quartered soldiers in and around Morristown who had smallpox. Further, uniform buttons of the Continental Army were found during the excavation of the area around the church. This is probably evidence of a common burial ground for the soldiers who did not survive smallpox. Also, the Reverend Jacob Green of the Hanover Church played an integral part in the Revolution in that he was a member of the first Provincial Congress and chairman of the committee that drew up the first Constitution of New Jersey.

The present church building was constructed in 1835 from materials that date back to the church from 1755 and trees cut from the surrounding church property. So although it was built about 200 years ago, the actual wood of the church dates to a time about 80 years earlier than that. In fact, the timbers in the current church that date from this time still have the marks from the hooks that once held up the beds in this temporary Revolutionary War hospital.

The cemetery surrounding the church is also historically significant. The cemetery adjacent to the church is home to the graves of many soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and various other historic figures. Aaron Kitchell, the first Congressman of New Jersey, is buried here, as is David Young, the author of The Farmer's Almanac.

The church went through many renovations and replacements over the years including the addition of a pulpit alcove in 1871 and the addition of an electric organ in 1912. In order to ensure that this important historical building was preserved, a restoration project was carried out from 2005 to 2013, which included installing a new furnace, repairing the structure of the church, and repainting the bell tower. The current building stands as a significant historical monument, as well as a well-maintained religious meeting place for the greater East Hanover community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating the First Presbyterian Church of Hanover on the occasion of its 300th Anniversary.

Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, as we complete debate on these three bills and these amendments, I would like to say a few words in closing.

I know I join my ranking member, Mrs. Lowey, in thanking our colleagues for the very constructive and civil debate over the last couple of days. I thank the chairman, certainly Judge Carter, as well as Ms. Wasserman Schultz and their counterparts for the other two bills, for being involved in work products that have been part of an open and collaborative process.

The Appropriations Committee received over 57,000 Member requests to our database and through our Member Day hearings, the majority of which are reflected in the bills that have been discussed over the last couple of days.

Secondly, now Members have the opportunity to further make their mark through the amendment process on the floor. The result, after two days here, is that we have legislation that truly represents the priorities of the American people. These priorities include caring for our veterans, our troops, and their families; rebuilding our Armed Forces; sustaining our national defense; and investing in essential infrastructure that grows our economy and creates jobs.

I urge all of my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to support these bills. These are bills that fund Federal programs that all Americans, especially our veterans and our troops, rely on to keep themselves safe, protect their lives and livelihoods, and preserve our Nation's ideals. These are programs that all of us can support.

H.R. 5895 begins the 2019 appropriations process on a strong footing and fulfills our commitment to the American people that we will get our work done on their behalf, and I urge my colleagues to pass the bill as we go ahead to vote in the near future.

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

Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chair, with all due respect to the minority leader, the process has been collaborative, Republicans and Democrats. These are the three bills that have historically received both Republican and Democratic support. They embody American values.

What could be more important than looking after our veterans and their families? Energy and water, infrastructure. We are enormously proud of the work of both the chairs and ranking members. I urge Members, both Republicans and Democrats, to support these bills, as they historically have done, and look after the interests of the American people, especially those who serve in our military today and those who have paid the supreme sacrifice.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, each year, it is our constitutional duty to provide funding for the Federal Government. We began that process on the House floor yesterday, considering three very important funding bills: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. Chairman, these three bills focus on bipartisan values, caring for our veterans and military families, rebuilding our Armed Forces, strengthening our national security, and investing in critical and essential water and energy infrastructure. These are among the highest priorities as Congressmen and women. Please vote against the motion to recommit and support this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 923, I call up the bill (H.R. 3) to rescind certain budget authority proposed to be rescinded in special messages transmitted to the Congress by the President on May 8, 2018, in accordance with title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act 1974, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

I rise today to present H.R. 3, the Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act. This package of rescissions withdraws nearly $15 billion in funds previously appropriated to various Federal programs and agencies. These funds are rescinded from programs and agencies that no longer need or cannot spend the money or from programs that no longer exist. When such funding goes unused for years, those funds should be returned to the Federal Treasury, as taxpayers should expect.

Sweeping up these extra funds will not cause undue harm or hardship to the essential activities at these Federal agencies. In fact, year after year, rescissions are included in our regular appropriations bills, and dozens of such rescissions have previously received bipartisan support.

The bottom line is that it is not in the interest of the taxpayers to let outdated, unnecessary dollar balances sit idle, especially when the Nation is facing such high debt and deficits.

As I have said many times, Congress controls the power of the purse, and it is up to us to keep our fiscal house in order in order to reduce wasteful spending, unnecessary spending, whenever possible.

Such rescissions are not new. Over the past 20 years, there have been hundreds proposed and approved in both Democratic and Republican administrations.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the majority whip.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Graves), the chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack), who is the chairman of the Budget Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Arkansas an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), who is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the majority leader of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Agriculture Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support H.R. 3, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 5895, the first set of the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bills: Energy and Water, the Legislative Branch, and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.

I am pleased that the House is considering three appropriations bills this afternoon. These bills provide funding to rebuild our military infrastructure, support military families, improve nuclear security, support our Nation's energy and water infrastructure, and assure the smooth and safe operations of the legislative branch.

To highlight a few of these important investments:

The Energy and Water bill, under Chairman Simpson's direction, funds our national security and supports the energy and water infrastructure that keeps our economy moving and America open for business.

In total, his bill provides $44.7 billion in discretionary funding. To support a strong nuclear national security strategy, particularly at this time of rapidly shifting global dynamics, his bill provides targeted increases that will maintain an effective nuclear arsenal, preserve our Nation's nuclear-powered fleet, and keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of those who would misuse them.

Beyond these critical responsibilities, the bill also directs $7.28 billion to the Army Corps of Engineers for projects and activities that will improve America's ports and waterways and promote public health and safety.

The bill also further supports economic growth by investing in the Department of Energy's programs to advance the goal of an all-of-the- above solution to energy independence. This includes funding to continue congressional efforts for the safe, secure storage of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.

Next, the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill under Chairman Yoder's lead provides $3.8 billion in funding for the operation of Congress and its support agencies, excluding Senate-only items. It may be the smallest of the 12 appropriations bills, but it is very important to the operation of our great democracy.

This total represents a small increase above current enacted levels. These increases are directed to critical programs that make our Capitol complex more secure and more efficient. This includes supporting our wonderful and dedicated Capitol Police force, which keeps the complex safe for Members and visitors.

Lastly, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, led initially by former Chairman Dent and now by Chairman Judge Carter, provides a total of $96.9 billion in discretionary funding at a crucial time for our Armed Forces and the VA. This includes $11.3 billion for military construction projects, a 3.8 percent increase above fiscal year 2018 levels, recognizing the need to rebuild our military infrastructure. This funding will enable our troops to fight current and emerging threats around the globe, as well as provide them with peace of mind and care for their families.

This bill also includes $85.3 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the largest total amount for the VA in its history. These additional funds will be directed to critical priorities within the Veterans Administration: improved access to healthcare; quicker claims processing; and support for crucial health programs like suicide prevention, mental health, and opioid abuse prevention. This also includes $1.2 billion for the new VA Electronic Health Record system to accelerate the progress on this long-awaited project.

Accompanying these funding increases are strong oversight provisions that will increase accountability at both the Pentagon and the Veterans Administration and ensure that precious tax dollars go where they are most needed.

I want to thank the chairs and ranking members and all the staff who worked on these bills that all Members should be proud to support.

These bills received bipartisan support in committee because they focus on universal priorities: national security, care for our veterans and military families, and essential infrastructure.

I am extremely disappointed to read and hear the minority has directed its Members to oppose this appropriations package, despite the fact that all of these bills were constructed as they always have been: in a bipartisan manner. If there is no minority support for this package, those Members will be turning their backs on this House's historic support for our veterans and their families and for modernizing our military installations around the world, which include medical facilities, new barracks and mess halls, playgrounds, schools, and family housing.

I want to thank Chairman Simpson, Chairman Yoder, former Chairman

Dent and now Chairman Judge Carter for their leadership on these bills; and also Ranking Member Kaptur, Ms. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Mr. Tim Ryan from Ohio for their work on these bills.

I would also like to thank the hardworking staff who helped to bring the bills to the floor: Jenny Panone and Tim Monahan from the Legislative Branch Subcommittee; Sue Quantius, Sarah Young, Kiya Batmanglidj, and Tracey Russell from the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee; Angie Giancarlo, Loraine Heckenberg, Perry Yates, and Amy Murphy from the Energy and Water Subcommittee; along with the front office staff and my personal staff.

I urge my colleagues to support these responsible appropriations bills and vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5895.

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

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.001

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.002

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.003

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.004

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.005

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.006

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.007

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.008

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.009

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.010

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.011

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.012

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH070618.013

Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the new chairman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies on Appropriations, and I also thank him for his leadership and work on the Homeland Security Subcommittee as well.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), the chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and thank him for getting through such a successful markup of 5 hours yesterday afternoon. Actually, I thank all members for their perseverance in that regard.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), a valuable member of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford), a new member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Newhouse).

Mr. Chair, I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao), a great member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), chairman of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to urge Members to vote for this three-bill package. I know that both Members of the majority and minority have worked hard on those bills. I think it is important we deliver this package for the American people.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the gentleman for his amendment. We are pleased to accept it. This is a remarkable program, and we want to honor those who serve and allow them to serve with us in a further capacity.

I wanted to commend the gentleman. I believe we have about 110 serving in congressional offices, and this will provide additional opportunities to some remarkable young men and women.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Will the gentlewoman yield?

We would be very pleased to accept the gentlewoman's amendment. We commend the gentlewoman for her effort. We also commend the effort of those who work in this office dealing with many, many hundreds of cases. We are pleased to accept the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment would provide funding to re-create a government agency, as the gentleman mentioned, which was defunded in 1995, 23 years ago. Before we re-create an entire government agency, I believe the most responsible thing to do is to study the need for such an agency and to identify the best path forward.

After receiving dozens of requests advocating for the restoration of this funding, this bill has included, through the work of Chairman Yoder--and I am briefly taking his place and have the pleasure of working with Ranking Member Ryan.

We have included in the report accompanying this bill language directing the Congressional Research Service to engage with the National Academy of Public Administration or a similar entity to produce a report detailing, first of all, the current technology assessment resources available to Members within the Government Accountability Office, to some extent, which has taken over this responsibility for the last 23 years; also to assess the potential need to create a separate entity; and, lastly, are there parts of what are being suggested here already duplicative within the available resources and services of the legislative branch?

For this reason, I oppose the amendment and urge the Members to do so as well.

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

Mr. Chairman, the GAO does most of what these gentlemen are seeking. I think, obviously, they have a certain feeling, and I respect those feelings. I don't think we need to create an agency, basically the duties of which have been taken, for the last 23 years, by the Government Accountability Office.

Mr. Chairman, I urge the Members to vote against the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, I would be very pleased to accept the amendment. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his forethought and concern, which we also share.

Mr. Speaker, on roll calls 207, 210, 211, 212 and 213, I am not recorded.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 207; YEA on Roll Call No. 210; YEA on Roll Call No. 211; YEA on Roll Call No. 212; NAY on Roll Call No. 213; YEA on Roll Call No. 214; YEA on Roll Call No. 215; and YEA on Roll Call No. 216.