Ralph Abraham

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, the Fish and Wildlife Service regularly enters into cooperative agricultural agreement with farmers to plant and raise crops on farm fields on national wildlife refuge land. Those agreements require that the farmers leave a portion of that crop standing over the winter in order to provide cover and forage for wildlife. In the spring, those farmers plow up everything and start all over again. In 2014, the Fish and Wildlife Service began to prevent farmers who entered into these agreements from planting GMO seed. This action was not based on facts, it was not on rules, and this action is harmful to both wildlife and to the farmers who are providing that food and cover. GMO crops are proven safe. They use less water. They use less pesticides. They use less fertilizer, and they feed much of the world, both humans and animals. Wildlife groups like Ducks Unlimited support this amendment, and I ask for your support, too. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, I just ask that my colleagues support this commonsense amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William Allen Kendrick, Jr., a Marine and lifelong resident of Jena, Louisiana, who died tragically on May 24. Allen led a life driven by passion, patriotism, and faith, values he lived and expressed through music. He served as a bandsman in the Marine Corps for 8 years and brought his enthusiasm for music and theater back to civilian life in his hometown of Jena, a small rural community that I have the privilege to represent in my district. Allen first discovered his love of music at Nolley Memorial United Methodist Church when he joined the Nolley group known as the Nolley Notables as a young student. As an adult, he created the Nolley Memorial UMC Grace Notes Choir and doubled the size of the LaSalle Parish Community Choir after becoming its director. Not surprisingly, Allen incorporated his love for God and country in his music, and it showed when he performed the most notable arrangements during Independence Day, Memorial Day, and other veterans events. He was also a member of the Jena Community Theater Group called Acting Up, and a former band director at Jena High School. Allen shared a quote on his Facebook page that said: ``Music is not what I do. It's who I am.'' He lived that life every day, and all of us who heard his music are better for it. I join all those who have been blessed by Allen's music, and I mourn his passing, as does the community. It will be hard not to think of him the next time I attend a service in Jena, though I know that his legacy and his patriotism will forever be a special part of Jena and Louisiana and, hopefully, the Nation.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible career of CenturyLink CEO, Glen Post. Glen is retiring after 42 years with the company. He spent 26 of these years as the CEO, a feat recognized recently by Fortune Magazine, as Glen is one of the longest- serving CEOs in the Nation. CenturyLink has been an incredible growth company under Glen's leadership, expanding from 3,000 employees to more than 65,000. It is now the third largest communications service provider in the United States, a cornerstone of his legacy. It is quite a story for a small, rural, family-owned telephone company that started up in the 1930s by Clarke Williams. The company's original principles, fairness, honesty, integrity, commitment to excellence, faith, positive attitude, respect, and perseverance, have remained the guiding goals under Glen's leadership. Like his company, Glen got his start in north Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. He received the Louisiana Tech College of Business Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991, the Louisiana Tech University Tower Medallion Award in 1997, and the DeGree Enterprises Lifetime Achievement Award in Business in 2003. In addition to his career achievements, he has provided invaluable advice to the United States Government as a member of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. He has also chaired the Communications, Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council in 2012 and 2013. As a native of Farmerville, Louisiana, Glen is a north Louisiana duck hunting, country boy at heart. CenturyLink now operates in 60 countries and sees revenues in the billions of dollars, yet, it remains headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana, not far from where Glen grew up as a boy. Maintaining the headquarters in north Louisiana is a testament to Glen's commitment to his home and his State that he loves. By growing CenturyLink locally, Glen has provided incredible opportunities for Monroe and Louisiana. Having such a large company in our backyard recruits talent to our region, yields higher wages, and attracts other companies that provide complementary services within the communications industry which, in turn, produces even more jobs. We can build on the success of CenturyLink. Coupled with the innovative cyber initiatives at Louisiana Tech and Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana's Interstate 20 corridor can help lead our Nation into the future as we continue to develop cutting-edge technologies. I want to thank Glen for his dedication to our region and his role in helping us grow. His career shows how far you can go with hard work, integrity, and commitment, and it is proof that you can achieve great things no matter where you come from. Today, I am proud to acknowledge the change that Glen Post and CenturyLink have brought to north Louisiana, and I wish Glen a very happy and relaxing retirement. It is well-deserved.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would increase the Corps of Engineers construction account to address the $96 billion backlog in construction projects across the country. My amendment would offset this increase by reducing the Department of Energy's departmental administration and bringing it closer in line with the President's budget request. Our water infrastructure is aging and deteriorating, and the Corps of Engineers has failed to keep up with these projects across the country because of the growing bureaucratic morass that delays construction and leads to wasteful cost overruns. While the Corps needs reforms to expedite project delivery, we in Congress should also prioritize spending and provide more resources to water infrastructure. Projects in Louisiana would greatly benefit from increased construction and operation and maintenance funding, especially projects like the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway, the Ouachita-Black Rivers Navigation Project, and the Madison Parish and Lake Providence Ports. These projects are critical for the economy in the Mississippi Delta. I commend Chairman Simpson for his leadership in increasing water infrastructure funding since he has been chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee. This bill provides significant increases in the additional funding pots for both construction and operation and maintenance. This additional funding will increase the opportunities for worthy projects to compete for limited dollars. Although I intend to withdraw my amendment, Congress should continue to provide more funding to projects across the country that improve commerce, grow the economy, and that protect homes and businesses from flooding. I hope to work with Chairman Simpson and his committee to address the issue moving forward. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for his commitment to work with me on this issue, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, I withdraw my amendment.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of the Reverend T.F. Tenney, who died last week after dedicating more than 65 years of his life to the ministry through the United Pentecostal Church. Bishop Tenney began preaching at the young age of 16. He and his wife, Thetus, were elected to the pastorate when they were just 19 and 18 years old, respectively, to lead a newly formed church in Monroe, Louisiana. It was in Monroe where Bishop Tenney cultivated his leadership skills that would serve him throughout his career as he would go on to lead ministries directed toward youth, foreign missions, and the greater Pentecostal church as a whole throughout Louisiana. Bishop Tenney will be remembered as a man who took new ideas and turned them into action. That enthusiasm made him a perfect fit for youth ministry, and he served for 6 years as the youth president of the Louisiana District United Pentecostal Church and 9 years as the international youth president. In 1970, Bishop Tenney relocated to the UPC headquarters in Missouri to serve as the UPC's foreign missions director, a position that allowed him to share his belief in Christ with the rest of the world. Bishop Tenney returned home to Louisiana to pastor a church in DeRidder. Later, he was elected as the Louisiana district director of the United Pentecostal Church, where he oversaw about 300 churches and 800 other ministers. He served in that post for 27 years before retiring to become bishop emeritus of the Louisiana district. I am proud that Bishop Tenney called Louisiana and the Fifth Congressional District his home, though we know now that he is in his true home with the Father. He was a true man of God, who touched the lives of countless people both at home and around the globe. He published a dozen books, created thousands of YouTube videos, and had a Twitter following of more than 44,000 people, all signs of the incredible legacy of the Christian devotion that he left behind. Bishop Tenney will be greatly missed, and Dianne and I will keep him and his family in our prayers.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Monroe, Louisiana. The Monroe Rotary Club started on June 1, 1918, and its centennial birthday marks 100 years of service, charity, and dedication from the members over the years. Today, the club has grown to over 140 members, and it is involved in service projects throughout the Monroe area. The Monroe Rotary Club promotes education, local economic growth, and clean water availability locally, nationally, and around the world just to promote the innate ability to drink clean water. Members of this club are the problem solvers that collaborate with the community leaders, many of whom are members themselves, to lead and continue to lead on issues that are facing the Monroe area. In this year alone, the Monroe Rotary Club has donated over 1,000 books to inmates at the Swanson Correctional Center, awarded 11 $250 scholarships to high school seniors, and donated 95 bicycles to children in need during the Christmas season. Their crowning annual event is a gumbo fundraiser, where they raise thousands of dollars for their service projects. In this year alone, they have raised over $8,000 that will be used to buy new playground equipment, send children to camp, and sponsor softball teams. I am always very proud to see people and organizations like these in the Monroe area, and in my entire district in Louisiana. Over the past 100 years, the Monroe Rotary Club has worked tirelessly to improve the city and the quality of life for those who live there. They inspire me and others by the changes that they direct, that they make, and the positive impact that they bring to the Monroe area. Today, not only do I congratulate them on their 100th anniversary, but I stand in recognition and certainly thanks for their century of service to the city of Monroe and the State of Louisiana.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program, a wonderful program that is changing young people's lives and making Louisiana a better place. Youth Challenge accepts high-risk students 16 to 18 years of age, and offers them the education, training, and emotional support they need to finish their high school equivalency requirements, and gives them the life skills that they need to be productive adults. These students face challenges completing their education in traditional classroom settings. Some come from troubled homes, some are victims of severe bullying, some have their own discipline and anger issues, some have fallen so far behind in the coursework that they feel they cannot finish, and some have already dropped out of high school. Youth Challenge offers them the second chance that they need to get back on the path to success. The Youth Challenge Program lasts 17 months, 5 months of which are at residential sites. We have three camps in Louisiana: Camp Minden near Shreveport, Camp Beauregard in central Louisiana, and the Gillis Long Center near Baton Rouge. While there, students learn from the structure and discipline offered by the military. They drill early in the morning and pursue coursework and job training in the afternoon. They also learn life skills and hear from motivational speakers and anti-substance abuse experts. I recently had the privilege of speaking at a graduation ceremony in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and there are fewer things that are more inspiring than seeing the faces of these young people who have worked hard to turn their lives around and successfully complete the program. Youth Challenge students also give back to the community. They complete at least 40 hours of community service that usually is focused on helping veterans, working with children, and volunteering with Special Olympics. While Youth Challenge Programs exist in States across the Nation, none has been more successful than in Louisiana. According to the Louisiana National Guard, more than 1,400 students graduate per year, which is more than any other State, and 83 percent of these pass the GED, which is the highest rate in the Nation. After completing the program, graduates can continue their education, join the military, or get full-time employment. Many businesses in Louisiana recognize the value of these hardworking students and actively seek to employ them. The Youth Challenge Program relies largely on Federal support, and it is an endeavor we in Congress should all support. Youth Challenge is also asking Congress to consider pilot programs aimed specifically at job training and apprenticeship programs. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I look forward to discussing this request with my colleagues as we consider the fiscal year 2019 Defense Appropriations bill. In conclusion, I want to thank the Louisiana National Guard instructors who give so much of themselves to this program and make it a wonderful success. It is because of their dedication that these students do have a second chance to succeed and become thriving, productive adult members of our society. Madam Speaker, I look forward to seeing where the future of this program goes and the lives it has yet to change.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, Grady ``Bubber'' Brown passed away on February 10, 2018, in Lake Providence, Louisiana. Born on March 8, 1934, he was the son of the late William Dennis Brown, Jr., and Martha Wyly Brown. During college at the age of 19, he and his younger brother, Philip, were given 48 acres of land to farm rice on during their summer break. That year, they made a $800 profit and immediately spent it on an airplane. Buzzy Tomlinson had a plane for sale, and they bought it with the agreement that he would teach them to fly, and he did. He gave them about 5 hours of instructions and sent them on their way. They landed on their own front yard, as proud as they could be to show their parents the new purchase. Steve Guenard did give them official flight lessons, and both received their pilot's license. After graduation from LSU, Bubber joined the Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School. He spent the next 4 years flying F-J3s, F-J4s, Chance Vought F8U-1s, and F8U-2s. He had two Mediterranean tours, one North American tour, and he had a 3-month tour off the coast of Cuba. He made over 400 carrier landings, both day and night, during his time in service. His father died in 1961, so he decided to resign his regular commission and return to manage the family Panola farm. In 1966, his cousin, Brenda Brown, came home from college with her roommate, Jennie Lou Ropp. Bubber and Jennie Lou were married a year later, and they have three children today: Grady, Jr.; Glen; and Katie. He was always involved with the children's activities. He was president of St. Patrick's school board for 12 years, baseball coach, flight instructor, hunting guide, and more and more. He not only taught both of his sons to fly, but his nephew, too; and he was very proud of them. Bubber was an entrepreneur. He was the first farmer in the area to utilize second growth farming. He always came up with new projects. In 1983, Bubber decided to start a new business, Panola Pepper Corporation, making his mother's recipe for her famous hot sauce. The idea was to employ his farm workers during the winter season. Creating jobs was his passion, and it was his specialty in the Lake Providence, Louisiana, area. Bubber was on many councils and committees, and received numerous awards. He served on the Louisiana Rice Council for many years and was actively involved in the LSU Rice Research Station. He was the lifelong member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, where he was on the church building committee, parish council, finance council, and an active member of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a lecture, usher, and Eucharistic minister. In 2003, he received the Louisiana Small Business Award. In 2005, he was asked by Governor Blanco to travel to Cuba with her delegation to promote Louisiana agriculture. Bubber had seven grandchildren: Wyly Brown, Lauren Brown, Emma Brown, Carter Coullard, Will Brown, Ben Coullard, and Andrew Brown. He loved his grandchildren and was very proud of every one of them. Bubber's legacy is that he taught his family how to be good Christians. He taught them all about goodness, kindness, patience, peace, hospitality, generosity, joy, faithfulness, self-control, and, most of all, love. Bubber was the epitome of the Southern gentleman. He will be sorely missed.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, today is National K-9 Veterans Day. As a member of the Veterinarian Caucus, I rise to commemorate the service of our four-legged friends who assist our military and police force in keeping our Nation and our communities safe. Though the War Dogs program, or K-9 Corps as it is commonly known, was first established during World War II, dogs have been assisting our soldiers since pit bulls were used for security during the Civil War. On March 13, 1942, the K-9 Corps was officially born and became immediately effective. Dogs were used in the Pacific theater, where it has been said that the Japanese never ambushed or made a surprise attack on a patrol led by one of these dogs. It is estimated that the Army employed 1,500 dogs in the Korean war and 4,000 dogs during the Vietnam war. With noses 100,000 times as sensitive as humans, our soldiers continue to use them today to sniff for bombs in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. One named Cairo was even used to sniff for bombs around Osama bin Laden's compound during the raid to take him down. Just like soldiers, these dogs go through rigorous training to serve our Nation. Their courage, loyalty, and acumen have saved countless lives. We appreciate their service and the service of their trainers and the soldiers who use them on the battlefield.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the hardest working men on Capitol Hill, Joe Quattrone. Joe's 84th birthday was Saturday, February 10. He has been cutting hair in the House for 47 years. Joe embodies the principles of hard work, dedication, and humility. He has cut the hair of the most powerful people in Washington, including: President Gerald Ford; President George Bush, Sr.; Vice President Al Gore; and almost every single Speaker of the House. He has cut hair in hospital rooms, before inaugurations, and even for foreign Presidents and ambassadors. Joe grew up in Reggio Calabria, Italy, and came to the United States in 1952. He served as an Italian translator with the American Air Force during the Korean war. Along with an honorable discharge, Joe received his American citizenship upon leaving the Army. In 1960, Joe came to D.C. and held a number of jobs before cutting hair in the House. He even worked construction on the Rayburn House Office Building. Emigrating from Italy, Joe is so proud of his American citizenship. Growing up in Italy, Joe was first introduced to America when American troops flew over his town during World War II. He said they would get so close to the town that he even made eye contact with the pilots flying those planes. When American troops came through his city, Joe remembers waving a small American flag, along with his family, welcoming them to his hometown. After serving with the Air Force, in 1955 he joined the Metropolitan D.C. Police Force, where he was active for 25 years. When you speak to Joe, you see the pride and joy he takes in his job and his country reflected in his attitude. It is because of Joe and the hardworking staff in the Capitol buildings of the Congress that Congress is able to perform its duties every day. Today I honor Joe and the lifetime of service he has given to the Capitol and to the United States of America.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and ultimate sacrifice of West Feliciana Deputy Fire Chief Russell Achord, who died Wednesday while responding to a car accident. Chief Achord served for 24 years and earned Officer of the Year and Valor in the Line of Duty recognitions during that time. He has also helped the community by implementing programs to teach high school students emergency care and improving the fire district's standard of care. It is because of the sacrifices of first responders like Chief Achord that we enjoy the lives we are able to lead. Our first responders put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, and for that we can never say ``thank you'' enough. Louisiana and West Feliciana Parish are better because of Chief Achord, and I ask that you keep his family and his firehouse in your prayers as they grieve.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today so proud to stand with my colleagues and to stand with those who will be marching in 2 days to remove the scourge, the stain, on American history. Our Louisiana delegation, as you have heard, has a strong presence here. We have a strong presence from Louisiana that will march on Friday: a very young people that get what abortion is. Our great whip leader, Steve Scalise, would be here, too, were he not recovering from a surgery. So we wish him the best. Mr. Speaker, as a Christian, I know that life is a precious gift, and I believe that life begins at conception. As a physician, my oath is to protect all lives, including that unborn child. And, certainly, as an American, I think abortion violates our Constitution's unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Mr. Speaker, you have heard, tonight, that over 60 million babies have been aborted. Think what they could have become: mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews--vital parts of our community. As you heard from my great friend, Garret Graves, who listed some of the bills that we have introduced this Congress, we will continue to do this. Mr. Speaker, we don't have to continue to put up with this stain on American history. We can do better. We know how to do it. We must end this practice as soon as possible and we must prevent this horror from continuing.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the reauthorization of the United States Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program, and the SAFER grant program. These programs are vital to protect the public and the Nation's firefighters. Recent trends have shown that fire safety and prevention remains a serious national concern. Data from the U.S. Fire Administration shows that, while there are fewer fires and fire-related deaths overall, fires are becoming more severe and costly in both lives lost and property damage per fire. The best-trained, best-equipped firefighters cannot always overcome the dangers associated with today's severe fires. This alarming trend jeopardizes the economic health of our communities and our national goal of increased resilience to fire. Adequate funding for the brave men and women who fight fires is essential, but we must also be effective in reducing these trends by preventing the fire's ignition and growth, in the first place, through robust fire prevention. I will work with the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to request that the U.S. First Administration and FEMA investigate the upward trend in fatalities and property damage per fire. Mr. Speaker, I thank both Chairman Smith and subcommittee Chairwoman Comstock for their leadership and hard work on the reauthorization bill, and I hope to work with them to address these issues moving forward.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true servant to the people, Dr. Eugene E. Williams. He is a dedicated husband to his wife, Daisy, a wonderful father, grandfather, veteran, and pastor. Sunday will be Dr. Williams' 59th anniversary as pastor of Mount Beulah Missionary Baptist Church in Ferriday, Louisiana. Over the course of his 59-year career, he has ministered to four other churches across Louisiana, which include Mount Sinai Baptist Church and Mount Olive Baptist Church in Ferriday, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Jonesville, and New Hope Baptist Church in Ruston. In addition to his service as a pastor, he was a teacher, community organizer, and the director of the LaSalle Head Start program for 28 years. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Williams is a model citizen for the people of the Fifth District of Louisiana, and I would like to thank him for his selfless service to the community and for making my State a better place.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exceptional emergency and operational contributions of the Civil Air Patrol and its 58,000 volunteers. In the near future, I hope to also talk about two other primary missions of the CAP: youth development and aerospace/STEM education. Literally every day, the CAP responds to life-threatening emergencies, homeland security requests, and a wide range of missions for States and the Federal Government with over 500 single-engine aircraft in every State and in Puerto Rico. As an active member since 2004, I have had the privilege of flying many of these missions, so I speak from personal experience. Over the past 15 months, the CAP has responded to four hurricanes, major wildfires in the West, dozens of other emergencies, including search and rescues, in addition to vital military missions on a daily basis. The high operational tempo has helped ensure that the CAP, for a second year in a row, has flown over 100,000 hours. The CAP's pace of operations is extraordinary when one considers that these missions are flown by volunteer professionals who pay dues to belong to the CAP, and they must take time from their work or use their vacation times to actually fly these missions. Vital for communities and for every State are the CAP's disaster relief operations. The mission is best highlighted by the CAP's massive volunteer response to the three recent rapid-fire hurricanes--Harvey, Irma, and Maria--that made U.S. landfall from Texas to the Virgin Islands. While additional flight hours are still expected, 2,800 hours have already been flown and nearly half a million photographs have been taken for FEMA, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These photos are being used to assess damage and to focus on recovery efforts. To do this, the CAP has used 118 aircraft and over 1,000 personnel from 44 wings--there is a wing for every State and Puerto Rico and D.C.--and region headquarters across the Nation. For large-scale operations, such as long-term hurricane support, the CAP often depends on the assistance of these adjacent wings in different States and different regions of the country. I was able to view up close and personal hurricane recovery operations when I flew several sorties during Hurricane Harvey. On one mission, I was responsible for taking full-motion video of three dams along the Texas-Louisiana border to help establish that they were in good condition and safe for those living in surrounding areas. Those assessments could mean the difference between life and death for many communities. In California, where fast-moving wildfires destroyed over 8,900 homes, the CAP continues to fly photographic missions in support of FEMA and California. Hundreds of sorties have been flown and 13,586 photos taken. These photos are being used to help emergency managers analyze the damage and assess the assistance needed by those whose homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed. In addition to conventional photography, the CAP's California operations have included testing a new leading-edge tactical aerial imagery system, which helped eliminate distortion in photos, making it easier for FEMA to analyze the data and making them a more effective tool for damage assessments. The CAP is pleased to be part of this test program, and it is expected to help improve wildfire damage assessments. Operational missions for the Air Force and other government agencies occur daily and without fanfare. These include, among others, being a target for Air Force interceptors, helping to train combat ground forces, and escorting military remotely piloted aircraft for training. Air Combat Command's First Air Force provides operational coordination for these CAP missions, which comprise about 80 percent of the First Air Force weekly operational flying. I was privileged recently to fly with the CAP Congressional Squadron on a Fertile Keynote mission. This mission is unusual, as it provides CAP aircraft as a slow-moving target for its Air Force pilots to practice interception techniques. The Congressional Squadron is unique, as it includes Members of Congress and congressional staff who fly with CAP airmen. Our mission that day was to simulate a general aviation aircraft that was in controlled airspace without permission. Two F-16 Vipers scrambled from Joint Base Andrews to find and definitely intercept us. These missions provide excellent training at a fraction of the cost to the government, and they are very valuable in training our great men and women who wear Air Force uniforms. Another key mission is to help train ground combat soldiers who are about to deploy overseas. Two CAP squadrons are tasked with providing this support. Mr. Speaker, I will certainly continue this discussion later.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I have a map beside me. It is not a Verizon or an AT&T map showing its coverage. What this is is a snapshot, a moment in time, of the number of airplanes in the United States' airspace at any moment, over 90,000 flights a day. Think about that. That is over 200,000 takeoffs and landings. We, in the United States, have the safest and the busiest airspace in the world; yet there are some in Congress who want to privatize this to a board made up of 13 members only. I personally think it is more of a monopolization, not a privatization of our airspace. This is the taxpayers' airspace. This is not the airspace that we should be giving away to a 13-member board, or the control of. Those who want to pass this AIRR Act, H.R. 2997, want us to compare it to Canada. Well, I have flown in Canada. Look at the map: below the line in the United States, above the line in Canada. It is not even apples to apples. It is not apples to oranges. It is apples to elephants. And you say, well, that makes no sense. No, it doesn't. It does not make any sense to give control of this airspace, where our wonderful men in uniform and women who fly the military aircraft, the pilots like myself, but, more importantly, the carriers that carry all of us to here and there, the ability to control this airspace. I am a small-government guy, Mr. Speaker, but there are three instances where government needs to be involved in the lives of our citizens: national defense, national intelligence, and national airspace. I would argue that I have probably been in more control towers than any Member of Congress, and when you walk in, there are wonderful controllers who are looking at modern equipment, computer screens, display lights, who are moving aircraft here and there, very efficiently, very professionally. There are those who have stood at this podium, Mr. Speaker, and held up pieces of paper like this and have scared our people into saying: Oh, this is the way controllers transfer control of airplanes from airspace to airspace. That is a gross mischaracterization of what is happening. They use this as a backup if a grid goes down, but they don't use it to move traffic. They use modern computers. The NextGen, or what we call the next generation of modernization of FAA, is called ADS-B, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast. It allows separation of aircraft to come down. It has saved billions--that is with a B--in fuel and other costs, and yet we want to give all this modern equipment to the control of a 13-member board? I think not. We have all had delays in airports. Most of them, I will tell you, are weather. But how many of us have pulled up in a plane and we are waiting for another plane to back out of a gate? That is not an air traffic control issue. That is an issue with controlling the gates at the airport, and that goes back to the airlines. How many of us have been delayed because they come on and when we are just fixing to board the plane, oh, you have a maintenance issue, or we are waiting for another pilot crew to get off one aircraft to pilot your aircraft? Again, those who would want to pass this act would make you believe that that is air traffic control's fault. No, it does not have to do with air traffic control. CBO has said that if we give this airspace control to a 13-member private board, it will cause a $100 billion deficit addition--$100 billion. The Congressional Review Service has said that if we do that, that automatically allows sequester to take place. We don't need that. We are trying to get out of that now. Our wonderful men and women in uniform are having a hard enough time meeting quotas, meeting equipment, meeting training, everything, because of the sequester. This would hurt military retirement funding. This would hurt our Border Patrol, men and women there protecting us from terrorist activity on a daily basis. Mr. Speaker, we need modernization, but we don't need privatization. It is a bad idea any way you look at it. We do need to pass a long-term FAA reauthorization act. I am all for that. Our FAA needs to have the stability of funding where they can look down the road more than 6 months at a time and plan for what is coming down and what they need to do to keep our airspace safe. So, Mr. Speaker, we don't need this H.R. 2997 passed. We need just to fund FAA for a long time.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the critical and lifesaving work being done by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Aircraft Operations Center. On September 23, I had a front row seat flying into the eye of Hurricane Maria as it headed toward Puerto Rico and the coastal United States. I rode through the hurricane aboard a NOAA P-3 Orion operated by the highly specialized workforce of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, civilian technicians, meteorologists from NOAA, and others, who have safely navigated these hurricanes for decades. The P-3's instruments collect and transmit realtime weather data from storms far out to the sea back to the mainland. This data is critical for hurricane forecasters used by the American public and emergency managers. Providing the most accurate forecasts of hurricane track and intensity, as early as possible, is the focus of these flights. Whether a strong hurricane directly hits a major U.S. city or weakens and spins out to sea with minimal impacts is a question that can impact billions of dollars and thousands of lives. These flights are vital to protect our Nation's lives and property. In addition to the P-3 hurricane hunter I flew in, NOAA also has a G- IV jet that goes high above the storm. The specialized instrumentation on NOAA hurricane aircraft provides critical storm data. The dual- channel tail doppler radars provide three-dimensional views of the storm. These advanced technology tools make NOAA's fleet a critical resource to safeguard lives and property when hurricanes threaten our shores. There is no doubt that this has been a challenging hurricane season for the country, with Hurricane Harvey's flooding in Louisiana and Texas, Hurricane Irma impacting Florida, and Hurricane Maria devastating Puerto Rico. NOAA's aircraft have performed tirelessly throughout these events. Over a 4-week period, two NOAA hurricane aircraft flew over 300 hours and dropped over 500 weather probes into these storms. After the hurricanes pass, NOAA's work is not done. NOAA's fleet of light aircraft perform poststorm damage assessments, taking high resolution images that enable limited emergency response resources to be delivered to the most critical areas. NOAA's King Air aircraft emergency response efforts to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria have resulted in more than 1.7 billion requests for damage assessment images. In total, more than 65,000 images were collected, covering more than 24,000 square kilometers of impacted areas. Think about that. These images allow emergency managers and the general public to be able to flee quickly, to react quickly, and to assess quickly in these impacted areas. NOAA's light survey aircraft also perform a diverse set of missions, including river and snow pack surveys essential for flood forecasts and water management; coastal mapping required for safe maritime navigation by commercial, military, and recreational sectors; and fisheries assessments. NOAA's aircraft are responsive and flexible, able to deploy at a moment's notice in support of national disaster response. NOAA aircraft provided critical data and support on scene following the Deepwater Horizon event and over the skies of New York after Hurricane Sandy. NOAA aircraft provide data critical for public safety, economic, and national security. The NOAA aircraft fleet, the NOAA Commissioned Corps, and NOAA civilians are an invaluable natural resource, and it is one that we have a duty to maintain. These crews and aircraft require regular updates, readiness training, and technology enhancements that directly benefit us and our country. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the President to ensure that NOAA aircraft fleet has all of the resources they need to safeguard lives and property for decades to come.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize America's farmers on National Farmers Day. I call our American farmers the thin green line because food security is national security. We can never discount the importance of our Nation's ability to feed itself, and we can do so only by the hard work of the men and women in the agricultural community. In honor of National Farmers Day, I wanted to recite a poem first delivered by a radio personality, Paul Harvey, to the FFA Convention in 1978. The poem is as follows: And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, ``I need a caretaker,'' so God made a farmer. God said, ``I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board,'' so God made a farmer. ``I need somebody with arms strong enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild; somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to wait for lunch until his wife is done feeding visit ladies, then tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon, and mean it,'' so God made a farmer. God said, ``I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt, and watch it die, and then dry his eyes and say, `Maybe next year.' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out of haywire, feed sacks, and shoe straps; who, planting time comes and harvest season, will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon, and then paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours,'' so God made a farmer. God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds, and yet stop in midfield and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor's place, so God made a farmer. God said, ``I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend to the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadow lark.'' It had to be somebody who would plow deep and straight and not cut corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week's work with a 5-mile drive to church; somebody who would bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life ``doing what dad does,'' so God made a farmer.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my support to the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This legislation is crucial toward protecting the most vulnerable among us: the unborn. As a doctor, it is my job to stay current with the latest medical research, and I have done so in my job in Congress, too. The research overwhelmingly shows that children 20 weeks or less are capable of showing pain. This is brought forth by the fact that when an in-utero procedure is done, both the mother and the unborn child are given anesthesia. Not to do so allows that child to recoil in pain and show a stress response in the uterus. I have heard, personally, as a physician, heartbeats in babies as early as 6 weeks of age in utero. So this legislation is critical, it is needed, it is past due, and I urge my colleagues to support this.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce Brother Bill Nash, a great friend who delivered the opening prayer this morning, and what a prayer it was. Brother Nash's wife founded Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church near my home in Mangham, Louisiana. In the 15 years since he founded his church, Brother Nash has been active in the community. He is the deputy sheriff chaplain for Richland Sheriff's Department. He was named an honorary chaplain of the Louisiana Legislature in 2014. Brother Nash is a true country evangelist and has been delivering sermons since he was 15 years old. Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the opportunity for him to offer the prayer this morning, and we thank him for all he has done for Louisiana.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with you an inspiring story about a community rallying to honor one of our Nation's heroes. On September 12 of this year, Thomas Edward Hunter passed away at the wonderful age of 93. He was a World War II veteran who served in Normandy and fought with our troops to liberate Europe from the Nazis. Unfortunately, Mr. Hunter spent his final years mostly alone in a nursing home, and died without much close family. He literally outlived all of his siblings. He never married, nor had any children. As a result, he had no one to serve as pallbearers at his funeral. Word of Mr. Hunter's passing reached the folks at Winnfield Senior High School, which is in a small community in rural north central Louisiana that I had the privilege of representing. After learning about Mr. Hunter's fate, six Winnfield football players--Matthew Harrell, Brett Jurek, Justin Lawson, T.J. Homan, Christian Evans, and Lee Estay--stepped up to serve as pallbearers for Mr. Hunter. In addition, the folks at Southern Funeral Homes arranged for military honors, along with the flag and the playing of taps. I am so inspired by the actions of Matthew, Brett, Justin, T.J., Christian, and Lee, as well as others in the community, who gave Mr. Hunter the hero's sendoff that he so deserved. They didn't know this man, but they knew that every veteran deserves to die with dignity and to be honored for the sacrifices they made for our great Nation. Mr. Speaker, I think the actions of these men that you see in the photo to my left here speaks volumes of what is so truly important in our country: community, country, family, God. Our flag and the Nation it stands for is special because of veterans like Thomas Hunter who answered the call to serve without question. Thousands have given their lives for that flag and this Nation, and they deserve our respect for their ultimate sacrifices. These young men in Winnfield, they get that. They got that at this funeral. I think others in this country will learn from their wonderful example.