Robert Aderholt

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the great leadership and character of Dr. Humphrey Lee on his retirement from Northwest Shoals Community College in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Dr. Lee was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. After graduating high school, he entered the University of Alabama where he earned his bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees. After leaving the University of Alabama, Dr. Lee dedicated the next 42 years of his life to the two-year college system in the state of Alabama. His four decades with Alabama's two-year college system carried him to Brewer State Junior College and Shelton State Community College. Finally, Dr. Lee became President of Northwest Shoals Community College in 2004. During his 14 years serving as President at Northwest Shoals Community College, Dr. Lee made workforce development the keystone of his administration. To achieve this goal, Dr. Lee oversaw tremendous growth and improvement in the programs offered by the school in areas such as Automotive Service Technology, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning and Cyber Security, just to name a few. While Dr. Lee is retiring from Alabama's two-year college system, I know that he will remain, as he always has been, very active in the local community, as he serves on numerous boards and is the current Chairman of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Lee has two sons; Preston who is married to Kristina; and Spencer who is married to Marie, with two grandsons, Brayden and Landon. Once again, I congratulate Dr. Lee on his many years of service to education in the state of Alabama, as well as on his well-deserved retirement. I wish him the best in the coming years and on future endeavors.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, this weekend the State of Alabama will host the 2017 National Singing Convention in my home county of Winston County. This event will take place in Houston, Alabama on November 16- 17 at Houston Baptist Church. The convention this year will be under the leadership of the 2017 president, Mr. Dylan Feezell. Southern Gospel Music is often referred to as America's music. Gospel music gave rise to bluegrass and country music. The importance of gospel music is honored each year with the National Gospel Singing Convention. The National Gospel Singing Convention first began in 1936. In the eight decades since its inception, the National Singing Convention have played a major role in the development of gospel music in America and around the world. The first convention was also held in Alabama, in the city of Birmingham. I am proud to have this convention in the district I represent, the Fourth District of Alabama. This annual convention is not only an opportunity to fellowship and to promote gospel music, its main purpose is to exalt and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. I use this occasion to emphasize the fact that Southern Gospel Music has made a tremendous positive impact on America and our nation's music. It continues to thrive and it make an impact on our communities, our culture and our faith. Furthermore, I want to congratulate Mr. Dylan Feezell and the officers for their leadership of this year's convention in Houston, Alabama and wish them the best on a successful weekend.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend President Trump for nominating Michael D. Griffin to be Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD/ ATL). There is a saying that a person was made for a certain job. In the case of Dr. Griffin, this is true. We currently have a convergence of space and national security factors which are matched only by a handful of circumstances in the past. I am thinking of Russia placing Sputnik in space, and President Kennedy refusing to accept missiles in Cuba, and of President Reagan's placement of Pershing missiles in Europe and starting the SDI, or Strategic Defense Initiative Office. With the nomination of Mike Griffin, we have a person with the experience of working in SDI yet also being the initiator of new ideas, such as the commercial cargo resupply program for NASA's ISS (International Space Station). For this particular job at the Pentagon, that is what we need--a person who knows how to utilize best practices of the past, combined with the openness and boldness to recommend to the Secretary of Defense the decisive actions which will keep America pre-eminent in technology, and give America the edge, when and if we must engage in armed conflict. Dr. Griffin holds degrees from six separate universities, his management experience in business and as former Administrator at NASA, as well as his work serving as a professor and as a consultant on Department of Defense review panels such as the Mitchell Commission (rocket launch engines), all prepare him well for this assignment and for the rising challenges facing our military around the world. After his confirmation, I look forward to working with him and the rest of our Department of Defense to help provide what is necessary for our national security.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I received the sad news earlier this week that the Honorable James (Jim) Martin passed away from this life at the age of 99, in Gadsden, Alabama. Jim Martin was not only a former member of this body, but he was the Congressman for the district of Alabama, which I now represent. James Martin was born in Tarrant, Alabama on September 1, 1918, the son of a railroad engineer and school teacher. Martin attended school in a log cabin. After graduating high school in 1936, he attended a business college, and then started a job as a clerk at Pan-American Petroleum in Birmingham. In 1941, shortly before America was drawn into World War II, Martin decided to join the U.S. Army. Martin served as a captain and was part of the American effort to liberate Europe from the Nazis. Martin and his men liberated concentration camps and saw the horrors of war firsthand. In an interview with the Library of Congress, Martin said, ``I'm not the same person I was before World War II.'' After fighting in that war, he came back to Alabama and settled in the city of Gadsden. It was in Gadsden where he met his future wife Pat Huddleston. It was in 1962, that Martin decided to enter politics. He challenged then U.S. Senator Lister Hill, the incumbent Democrat. Martin came within 6,000 votes of upsetting Hill. Alabama voters elected Martin to the U.S. House of Representatives in November of 1964. Martin took office as the Member of Congress from Alabama's 7th Congressional District in 1965 which was the year I was born. He served one term, from January 1965 to January 1967. To say that Congressman Martin was a trailblazer in Alabama politics is an understatement. His election in 1964 marked a change of course in a state that had been dominated by a single party for decades. During his time in Congress, Martin worked diligently to represent the wishes and interests of his constituents back in Alabama. He was a great leader and one of those rare individuals who could convey his conservative message in words like few others. In 1966, Martin chose not to seek reelection to Congress, but instead decided to seek the Governorship of Alabama. While Martin did not win the election against the wife of George Wallace, Lurleen Wallace, his showing was remarkable. Martin received more support than any Republican candidate for governor since Reconstruction. Then in the 1990s, Martin served as Alabama's Conservation and Natural Resources director under Governor Fob James. Just as Martin had been a trailblazer in politics, he did the same during his time serving in this capacity. Martin convinced the state to purchase Cathedral Caverns in Marshall County. It has since become a state park. He also started Alabama's Forever Wild Program. Its mission is to secure Alabama's wild and natural wonders and to save them from development. After leaving public life, Martin remained active, engaged and involved in his community. I would regularly see Congressman Martin around the Gadsden area as he always had a lot of advice for his congressman. Martin is survived by his wife, Pat, two sons Douglas Martin, Jr. and Richard H. Martin, and one daughter, Annette Graham Martin, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. James Martin's remarkable life and legacy will live on for many generations. It is my honor and privilege to recognize him and his accomplishments and have this statement included in the Record of the Congress in which he served, a tribute to his service, his love for his state and country and his faith in his creator.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the tremendous work of Elizabeth Dent, who has been an invaluable part of the staff of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture for the past 3 years. Elizabeth came to work with the subcommittee I chair after working several years with a former appropriator, Congressman Jack Kingston. Elizabeth has been a valuable member of the subcommittee team. She is diligent, dedicated, and keen to details, something that is very important to the appropriations work. She is always eager to volunteer and lend a hand to accomplish whatever tasks may be needed in assisting in the agricultural community. She has become an integral part of the team, and she will be greatly missed on our subcommittee. Elizabeth will be leaving the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture to work for the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee. I thank her for her outstanding work. The Senate Appropriations Committee is very fortunate to have her work on the staff. We wish her all the very best, and we look forward to working with her in her new capacity.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. It is a long title for a bill; however, we are talking about protecting unborn children. As it has been obvious here today, it is always difficult to talk about this issue, but when we talk about pain- capable unborn children, we are referring to, in particular, children who are still in the womb at 20 weeks. As it has been pointed out by my colleagues time and time again, scientists have proven that unborn children, even at 20 weeks old, are capable of feeling pain. The goal of this legislation is to protect these children by ensuring that they cannot be aborted. Today, if a physician performs an in utero surgery on a 20-week-old unborn child, the standard protocol for the child is to be treated as a patient, not just a blob of tissue. That child would be given an injection of pain medication before the surgery, and this is above and beyond the anesthesia given to the mother before the surgery. These babies have demonstrated to medical experts that they respond to painful stimuli because they flinch and they recoil from sharp objects. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation when it comes to the floor. Let's do the right thing and protect unborn children.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chair, I appreciate, again, the bipartisan cooperation that went into crafting this bill. It is very important. Mr. Chair, I would ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, it is my distinct honor to bring the fiscal year 2018 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill before you today as part of the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act. I do want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for his commitment to the annual appropriations process. Under his steadfast leadership, the House is scheduled to vote on all 12 appropriations bills, which is an extraordinary achievement. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Lowey and Ranking Member Bishop for their cooperative spirit. Mr. Bishop is the new ranking member for the Agriculture Subcommittee, and I have enjoyed working with him over the past several months as we have moved forward to try to help rural America and rural communities. The Agriculture Appropriations bill responsibly targets funds to national programs that provide the most benefit to the American people and to the United States economy. The bill received bipartisan support throughout the process, even though much of the funding and policies reflect a conservative policy. The overall total for both discretionary and mandatory spending in the bill equals $144.9 billion. That is $4.1 billion above the President's request and $8.6 billion below the FY17 enacted level. The bill includes $20 billion in discretionary budget authority, which is $1.1 billion below the FY17 enacted level when adjusting for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The mandatory funds in this bill support USDA's farm production, conservation, crop insurance, and nutrition programs. I would like to thank all the Members who have submitted requests and gave input as we have moved forward and crafted this legislation. Knowing what programs Members are interested in has helped us direct funding to support rural communities across the country and also combat animal and plant pests and disease threats, promote U.S. agricultural exports, support food safety and medical product safety, provide U.S. commodities to those in need overseas, and address the critical needs of research. We protected our most vulnerable populations in this bill by providing funding for all of USDA's nutrition programs at levels that ensure all eligible participants will receive the nutrition assistance that they need. We made sure that the farm loan programs will meet current estimates of demand during the current economic downturn in several areas of the farm economy. Furthermore, the bill provides $5.2 billion to the Food and Drug Administration, including the preservation of nearly $2.8 billion in discretionary resources to assist the FDA in protecting and promoting public health. The bill continues to support the food safety activities associated with the Food Safety Modernization Act and provides $60 million in new funds to the 21st Century Cures Act. In closing, I would like to especially thank the staff on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, my personal staff, the minority staff, and Mr. Bishop's staff.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young) for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I am very sympathetic to the gentleman from Iowa's concerns regarding the reduction in the bill's mandatory energy programs in the farm bill, in particular, the Rural Energy for America Program. The gentleman from Iowa is indeed a valued member of our subcommittee, and he was very instrumental in developing many parts of the overall bill, and I appreciate his input greatly. A number of factors went into our decision for which programs to reduce in order to achieve the $1.1 billion reduction in the bill's funding level over this last year. As I did mention, as he noted, in our full committee markup, I committed to working with the gentleman from Iowa to see where we could find alternative offsets, and we will continue to do that as we move forward. So I thank the gentleman for bringing this to our attention again here on the floor of the House.

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

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 500, as the designee of Chairman Frelinghuysen, I offer amendments en bloc.

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

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chair, the executive order on National Ocean Policy is an Obama administration policy. It lacks clear statutory authority. Instead of streamlining Federal management, it potentially adds layers of additional bureaucracy and Federal overreach. The National Ocean Policy has the potential to harm both terrestrial and marine economic values by affecting sectors such as agriculture, fishing, construction, manufacturing, oil, gas, and renewable energy, among others. This body has taken the position in the past to pause the implementation of the executive order on the National Ocean Policy as this uncertainty continues around the meaning of the policy, how will we implement it, and the unintended consequences. The policy was developed unilaterally by the prior administration without involving or consulting with Congress. Additionally, the Natural Resources Committee has expressed concern about the policy, as did a letter signed by over 80 groups supporting the provision in the underlying bill. We are not saying that ocean policy in general does not make sense or is something that we could not support. My home State of Alabama is a coastal State. All I am saying is that I think we need to revisit this policy, take a bottom-up approach by working with stakeholders, and have something work its way through Congress. Working to resolve ocean management challenges should be nonpartisan and something that this Congress could achieve; therefore, I oppose the amendment and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this amendment. I agree, it appears that the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration, known as GIPSA, is not currently implementing a provision from the 2015 Grain Standards Act Reauthorization. Despite the efforts of my colleagues to try and work with the USDA to correct this interpretation, the agency continues down a path of unravelling a longstanding agreement that has allowed a designated official grain inspector to carry out inspections in another geographic area. I hope this amendment sends a clear message to the Department that they are not following congressional intent, and they should reverse course. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for his continuous work on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chair, I rise to support the gentleman's amendment. Each year, the Federal Government requires Davis-Bacon provisions on all sorts of constructions--as has already been mentioned, roads, bridges, dams, buildings, and the taxpayers pay more. You do the math. According to a recent study, Davis-Bacon inflates costs by 22 percent for construction costs. These added expenses come at a time when our Nation is nearly broke. Therefore, I think it is time to put the taxpayers first, and I encourage my fellow Members to support this amendment.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. I believe that schools should have more local control in operating their meal programs, including the establishment of the price a family must pay for the meal. School meal prices differ from one community to the next, and they take into account local food and local labor costs and what families are willing and able to pay. I think it is always best to let the local schools make those decisions. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the gentlewoman's amendment.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's amendment, which has gained bipartisan support in our full committee. I am very sympathetic to the gentleman's concerns, and I trust his judgment an his experience as, currently, the only pharmacist that is serving in the House of Representatives. This bill language is similar to the language in our House report. While the underlying bill did not go as far as limiting funds to be spent on the finalization, implementation, or enforcement of the proposed memorandum of understanding between the FDA and the States, our committee report language is conditional in that the FDA should not finalize the proposed rule if it fails to distinguish between distribution and dispensing a compounded product to a specific patient. Dispensing is not defined in the Drug Quality and Security Act, and the FDA should not unilaterally take it upon themselves to start regulating the practice of pharmacy since this function is regulated by the State Boards of Pharmacy under the laws of the State legislatures. Therefore, I support the intent of this amendment until FDA clarifies its policy, and I recommend the amendment's approval.

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's amendment here. I support what the gentleman is doing with this amendment. I also appreciate his willingness to make a slight change to the amendment in order to maintain support from staff in embassies across the world that help USDA staff open markets to U.S. goods. With that being said, I would like to urge my colleagues to support his amendment.

Mr. ADERHOLT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, this morning, I would like to recognize Marine Private First Class James T. Stanford for his duty, his selfless service, and his sacrifice to our great Nation. Stanford was a native of Gadsden, Alabama, and he lost his life back in 1954 after a devastating explosion on board the aircraft carrier USS Bennington. I am honored to recognize Private First Class Stanford this morning, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great Nation. Stanford attended Gadsden High School in Gadsden, Alabama, before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on February 21, 1953. After completing basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to the USS Bennington in June 1953. On May 26, 1954, the USS Bennington was sailing off the coast of Rhode Island for aircraft carrier qualification when hydraulic fluid from a forward catapult caught fire. The resulting explosion caused massive damage to the forward portion of the ship. It resulted in over 200 casualties, including 103 sailors and marines who lost their lives that day. On May 28, 1954, Private First Class James Stanford, at just 20 years old, succumbed to his critical burn wounds and passed away at Newport Naval Hospital in Rhode Island. By his side were his wife, the former Lou Moore; and his father, Mr. J.C. Stanford. James and his wife, Lou, had recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary. Mr. Speaker, may the sacrifice of Private First Class James T. Stanford and the other 102 sailors and marines who lost their lives as a result of that explosion onboard the USS Bennington on May 26, 1954, never be forgotten, and may those individuals be remembered as they gave their all.