Vicky Hartzler

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to adamantly oppose H.R. 8404, the disrespect for marriage act. This unnecessary and misguided legislation not only disrespects the importance of traditional marriage for the health of a family, but also disrespects people and organizations of faith who have the constitutional right to carry out their mission in accordance with their most deeply held beliefs.

With a crisis at the border, inflation skyrocketing, and a Federal budget that is nowhere to be seen just a week before Christmas, Democrats have made it abundantly clear that this disrespectful policy is their priority.

Let's be clear: Obergefell is not in danger, but people and institutions of faith are.

This bill only serves to further demonize biblical values by establishing a private right of action against organizations who believe in natural marriage, opening the floodgates for predatory lawsuits against people of faith. The bill's only purpose is to hand the Federal Government a legal bludgeoning tool to drive people of faith out of the public square and to silence anyone who dissents.

Sadly, the Senate rejected three amendments that would have eliminated the private right of action and prevented the government from infringing on the freedom of religion.

Instead, a flimsy amendment that includes vague language unlikely to protect anyone was included.

Unfortunately, and likely intentionally, this hollow amendment provides no tangible protections for religious schools, no protections for faith-based adoption and foster care agencies, no protections for Christian businesses who contract with the government, and no protections for civil servants who justly believe marriage is between one man and one woman.

The bill's implications: submit to our ideology or be silenced.

This is yet another step toward the Democrats' goal of dismantling the traditional family, silencing voices of faith, and permanently undoing our country's God-woven foundation. This is the Democrats' priority.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you my priority: Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith, and protect Americans who believe in the true meaning of marriage.

I hope and pray that my colleagues will find the courage to join me in opposing this misguided and dangerous bill.

Mr. Speaker, it has been the honor of my life to serve on this committee.

I rise in strong support today of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2023.

I thank Ranking Member Rogers and Chairman Smith for the work in developing this comprehensive bill. I also thank the TAL subcommittee chairman, Representative Norcross, for his leadership and collaboration, not only for this NDAA but over the past several years. This legislation would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the entire committee staff, including Kelly Repair; my chief of staff, Chrissi Lee; and Defense Fellow Steve Azab. I appreciate all of their efforts.

The NDAA is always a bipartisan product, and it has been an honor to contribute to the development of these bills for the past 12 years.

As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, I am pleased this bill reverses President Biden's cuts to our national security and restores funding for the procurement of vital platforms needed to continue to rebuild and modernize our military.

Specifically, I am pleased that this bill authorizes funding for 8 F/ A-18 Super Hornets, to address the Navy's severe strike fighter shortfall; 24 F-15EX aircraft, to ensure the Air Force has both the capability and capacity to meet both current and future threats; and continued investments in Army ammunition facility modernization. This has been a top priority of mine since coming to Congress, and I am pleased at the progress Chairman Norcross and I have made in working with the Army to ensure proper investments are made for our ammunition facilities.

Additionally, I am pleased this bill includes language to protect CID training at Fort Leonard Wood, language to ensure chaplains can use their resources for resiliency and suicide prevention programs, and several programs to combat the threat posed by China.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this with a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I missed the vote on H.R. 8876 as the vote closed before I reached the chamber. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 500.