Bradley Byrne

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I was listening very carefully to my colleague, and I heard him talk about what is being proposed in this bill as being accounting tricks and cover. I am going to repeat again that what this bill is doing is exactly what then-Senator Obama, then-Senator Kerry, then-Senator Biden voted for in 2008. There is nothing new here. We are going into another President, and we are giving that President an opportunity to take a look at the situation and come back to us and tell us what they want. He said that this will drive up the deficit. It only drives up the deficit if we are not willing to work together to cut in other places because national defense is more important than anything else we do. If we don't want to drive up the deficit--and I sure don't want to drive up the deficit--let's talk about some serious cuts to other parts of the budget that aren't nearly as important as national defense. He called the overseas contingency account a slush fund. It is a fund directly requested by President Obama. It was requested by the President before him. It is something we have done for a while. It is adequately accounted for. There is plenty of oversight over it. So it is not a slush fund at all. The gentleman from Colorado said that we should be careful about overinvesting as the Russians did relative to GDP. If you look at what the defense spending is as a percentage of the American GDP, for the last several years it has gone down. It is so much lower than it was even just a few years ago. In fact, we now know it is dangerously low because of what our adversaries--Russia, China, et cetera--are doing. He talked about that this bill somehow encourages corporate misconduct. This bill has more reforms in it than we have seen in years that are going to require more and more people to toe the line, as they should when we are spending the taxpayers' money. He said that there is something in this bill that might have something to do with LGBT discrimination. No, sir. Mr. Speaker, what is in this bill, what is going to be proposed for this bill, is something that gets to people's religious freedom. We don't treat religious freedom seriously enough in this body. We act as if it is somehow now a secondary right. Well, it is a primary right. It has always been a primary right, and we should always stand up for it in this body. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 732 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I wish we didn't have to deal with environmental issues on the Armed Services Committee, but, unfortunately, we have military bases all across the United States where they are being limited in what they want to do, what they could potentially do, by other Federal agencies that are using their powers to tell our defense folks that they can't do things that are important to carrying out their military mission. So I heard my colleague, and I know of his service on the Natural Resources Committee and the good work of that committee. But when you have those agencies beginning to impinge on our ability to deliver on national defense, I think that is under the jurisdiction of our committee. We have gotten waivers to be able to take these issues up from those committees, including the Natural Resources Committee. Look, I am not saying the sage-grouse or the beetle is not important, but they are not more important than the defense of the United States of America. We have dealt with these issues in a responsible way. I hope and pray that the time will come when we won't ever have to talk about that in the Armed Services Committee again. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 732 provides for the consideration of H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. Mr. Speaker, this is the most important thing this House will do this year as it has been the most important thing this House has done for 54 straight years--setting the policy for defending the American people. The resolution provides for a structured rule and makes in order 61 amendments. This is the first of the two rules the House will consider on the NDAA. The Committee on Rules is continuing to work through the over 375 submitted amendments, and it will be making more amendments in order at this afternoon's meeting. As a member of the House Committee on Armed Services, which is the jurisdictional committee for this bill, I, like many others, have spent substantial time in working through this year's NDAA. A lot of work has gone into the bill to get us to this point, and I want to recognize the work of Chairman Mac Thornberry, of Ranking Member Adam Smith, and of each of the subcommittee chairmen and ranking members. We should also recognize the very capable Committee on Armed Services staff who has devoted so much time to this legislation. This process, as in years past, has been truly bipartisan. The bill passed out of the committee by a vote of 60-2. It is my sincere hope that this bipartisan nature will continue here on the House floor as we consider the most important thing we will do all year. Providing for the common defense is the most important function of the Federal Government, and it is one we all take very seriously. There are many different threats and challenges around the globe, and we and the servicemen and -women who protect us need to be ready for each of those threats; so you will be hearing a lot about readiness over the next couple of days as we consider this bill because just having a soldier or an airman or a sailor is not enough--they have to be ready to do the job that we assign to them. Readiness means that they have been trained appropriately, that they have the equipment they need, and that they have the support they need to carry out their vital role. Look around the world as we sit here today: North Korea is threatening us with nuclear weapons. They say they have miniaturized the nuclear weapon. They have the missile technology not only to shoot it from land, but to launch it from submarines. China, every day, is pushing out further and further with these artificial islands in the South China Sea, claiming, virtually, the entire South China Sea as theirs that they can control and against the claims of other countries in the region--a part of the world where over $5 trillion in trade moves to and fro, which is something that has a direct impact on the well-being of the American people. Look at what is happening in Europe. Russia has taken the Crimea. They are involved in actions in the eastern part of Ukraine today. They threaten NATO allies--countries with which we have an Article V obligation to defend if any country attacks them--and Russia is threatening those countries today. Then in the Middle East, as many of us know, we have a resurgent Iran. After the deal that the President struck with Iran last year, Iran now has access to tens of billions of dollars. As the major state supporter of terrorism in the world, they are using that money to fund terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, which cause so much havoc and destruction and death. We have this terrible situation in Syria, a continually bad situation in Iraq, failed states in Yemen and Libya. Our military--our defense forces--are called upon to address all of those--to protect us, to protect the American people. That is why getting this bill right is so important. That is why taking it seriously is so important. Whether it is fighting terrorism in Iraq or in Afghanistan, deterring Russian aggression in Europe, or projecting force in the Pacific, our military has their hands full, and this bill is critical to ensuring that they are ready for what is coming to them and to us. Let us make sure we understand. Experts far beyond my background have said that the United States has never faced this level--this complexity--of threat to our national security since the end of World War II. This bill is also an important oversight tool for Congress as we work to ensure accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness from our Nation's military. The NDAA authorizes spending at a level of $574 billion for national defense base requirements and an additional $36 billion for overseas contingency operations. This matches the total funding level of $610 billion that was requested by President Obama. These spending levels are needed to make critical investments that will begin to restore our military readiness. It seems like every day a new and alarming report comes out about the dire situation our military is in: planes can't fly due to deferred repairs; troops aren't adequately trained; there is a lack of naval vessels in critical theaters. These stories have begun the sad reality for our military in recent years, and we are putting the lives of our servicemembers at risk. To be clear, none of these are the fault of our servicemembers who continue to rise to the challenge and do more with less. But we, as a Congress, have to fix this problem. The NDAA will put us back on track by strengthening our commitment to our military men and women. It fully funds the 2.1 percent pay raise for our troops and restores funding for training and maintenance programs, while also helping rebuild crumbling facilities. The bill is also reform oriented. You are going to hear a lot about reform over these next 2 days. It includes long-needed reforms to the acquisition process and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, as well as boosting healthcare programs to ensure high quality and access to care. All told, there are five components of reform in this bill. I also want to briefly touch on a few issues up front that I know my colleagues will likely bring up. First, this rule self-executes an amendment by Chairman Sessions of the Rules Committee that would strike a provision of the bill relating to women and Selective Service. This is an issue that the Armed Services Committee has not debated. No hearings have been held. It was added to the NDAA by an amendment in the dead of night. This rule removes that provision and allows Congress to properly study the issue. Wherever you stand on the issue of including women in the draft, the American people should have the benefit of a full hearing, a full consideration of that issue. Jamming this thing into this bill and considering it without going through that is not right for the American people, whichever side they stand on. Making that the way this bill stands today is the right thing to do before we make a substantial change. I also know the President has some concerns about the way this year's NDAA funds our military. The bill funds the overseas contingency operation until April 2017, when a new President will have time to assess the security situation, and then they could submit a supplemental budget request based on their priorities. This is common for the first year of a new administration. Indeed, in 2008, then-Senator Barack Obama, then-Senator John Kerry, and then- Senator Joe Biden all supported a similar strategy. So I find it very odd that they now oppose that same strategy. The bottom line is that this bill adequately funds our military while meeting critical needs for military readiness and supporting overseas operations. Let's not let politics get in the way here. There is enough political theater taking place in the Presidential election. On this issue, this critical issue of national security, let's come together as Democrats and Republicans and show the American people that we can work together on behalf of our military and our national defense. I urge my colleague to support House Resolution 732 and the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. BYRNE. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and respect the gentleman from Colorado and his earnestness and all of what he has said today; and I do agree with him that there are many things that we need to debate on this floor and that we will be debating on this floor over the next 2 days. But let's make sure we don't lose sight of the central thing we are here to do, and that is to protect and defend the people of the United States. Yes, there are going to be some extraneous issues, issues that we wish we didn't even have to talk about; but at the end of the day, we are going to come back to that central function, that most important function that we have, and that is defending the people of the United States. Because of things that have happened before today, the readiness of our Armed Forces, the people we charge with the direct responsibility of defending us, the readiness has come down steadily. Planes can't fly. Armed vehicles can't drive. Weapons don't function. We don't have enough training for our troops. So we have listened to all of the uniformed commanders that have come before our committee and heard the dire circumstances we face all across the national defense of this country, and this bill begins to turn that around. It is not a big enough turnaround. We have got a lot of work to do to get back to where we need to be, but this begins that process of getting our Armed Forces ready in a way that is meaningful and responsible for them but also will create the actual effect of protecting the American people. We have put into this bill very important reforms, reforms that we have been needing to look at for a long time, that will require our military to be more efficient, save taxpayer dollars, but also make them more effective in their jobs. This bill does what we, as a House, are charged with doing, and that is setting responsible policy for defending the United States of America. I hope that everyone, as we debate the amendments and the underlying bill over the next 2 days, will keep central in their mind that that is what this is all about and that we will strive to do this in a bipartisan fashion, as we have done on the Committee on Armed Services and as we have done on the Committee on Rules. This needs to be a bipartisan bill. This needs to be a bipartisan vote. If we really care about this country, if we really care about those men and women in uniform, then it is important for us to understand that we have a bipartisan responsibility to make sure that we provide for them and provide for the defense of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 732 and the underlying bill.

Mr. BYRNE

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

Mr. BYRNE

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

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Alabama Historical Commission and the National Historic Preservation Act. On October 15, 1966, the National Historic Preservation Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. The legislation established the nation's legal framework for the protection and preservation of historic buildings, landscapes, and archaeological discoveries. My home state of Alabama played a key role in the creation of the National Historic Preservation Act. In fact, the book ``With Heritage So Rich,'' written by Alabama Congressman Albert Rains, drew attention to the importance of preserving historical sites throughout the nation and led to the creation of the Alabama Historical Commission. Over the last 50 years, the National Historic Preservation Act and the creation of the Alabama Historical Commission has had a profound impact on communities throughout Alabama and all across the United States. In the past year alone, the Alabama Historical Commission welcomed over 250,000 visitors to its historic sites and engaged more than 1,000 volunteers in 8,958 hours of service. The Federal Preservation Tax Incentives Program, created by the National Historic Preservation Act and implemented by the Alabama Historical Commission in my home state, is the largest federal program supporting historic preservation. The program has helped spur job creation, saved thousands of historic structures, and attracted billions of dollars in investment. The National Register of Historic Places, also created by the National Historic Preservation Act, contains more than 80,000 historic properties, with at least one place listed in almost every county in the United States. In Alabama, we are home to over 1,200 historic places including the Bottle Creek Site, the First Confederate Capitol, Fort Morgan, Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, Gaineswood, and the Freedom Rides Museum. This year, thousands of public, private, and nonprofit sector partners are commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act throughout 2016 under the banner of ``Preservation50.'' Mr. Speaker, in order to remain an optimistic and hopeful nation, it is critical we understand our history and how we got to this point. So on their 50th Anniversary, I am proud to highlight the important impact of the Alabama Historical Commission and the National Historic Preservation Act.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life and contributions of Chief Justice Perry Hooper, Sr., who passed away this past Sunday. Justice Hooper was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1925. He served our Nation in the United States Marine Corps before attending the University of Alabama School of Law. He went on to be elected probate judge and later circuit judge in Montgomery County. His groundbreaking election as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 1994 marked the first time a Republican had served on the court since Reconstruction. Justice Hooper brought dignity and grace to the Supreme Court, along with his consummate professionalism. He raised the court to a higher level. Whether you were a lawyer or a party, he treated you with respect and fairness. Most importantly, Justice Hooper understood that judges don't make the law, but decide cases with wisdom and fairness. So on behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to share my deepest sympathies with his wife, Marilyn, and four sons. Justice Hooper will never be forgotten.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I can't say enough about the leadership on this issue that Congresswoman Adams has provided. She just did a terrific job of explaining to us all not just the progress that we have made over the last year, but the promise we have in the years to come to take this area and continue to move forward on it. What a rich tradition we have in this country with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I come from the State of Alabama. We are justifiably proud of the great institutions in our State. I can only tell you about a few, but let's start with probably our flagship, which is Tuskegee University, worldwide famous and well known for so many different things. It is not just what its history is, although it is a rich and storied industry. It is also what it continues to do today and what Tuskegee will do in the future to enrich the lives of hundreds, yet tens of thousands, of people who have gone on in their lives and will go on in their lives to do great things for our State of Alabama and for the United States of America. I am blessed in my district to have Bishop State Community College. Bishop State is one of the public community colleges in the State of Alabama. It was under my jurisdiction when I was the chancellor of post-secondary education. It is rich in its own history with an incredibly important mission in our rapidly growing economy in the Mobile area of providing the trained workforce for all of the business and industry that have been coming and is already there in our district. So Bishop State stands as a great symbol to me not just of what we are, but of what we can be as we work with these institutions throughout my State of Alabama, throughout the South, and throughout the Nation. I stand here not as a Black person, not as a Democrat, because this is not a White or Black issue. This is not a Democratic or a Republican issue. This is an American issue. This is about providing opportunity for everyone in America. So often we talk about opportunity. Here is an example of where we are doing something about opportunity. We can open all the doors we want in America, but if the people of America or a small portion of the people of America can't walk through those doors, then we don't have real opportunity. This Congress has few opportunities to really do the things that need to be done to help people. Here is one. Here is one where we can really do something that will make a tremendous difference. Congresswoman Adams really put her finger on it. There are many people that go to HBCUs who didn't get there with the sort of support that they needed, who didn't get there with the sort of academic preparation that they needed. Now, we can say: Oh, well. That is their problem and they just have to find some way to deal with it. Or we can understand that that is not just a problem for them, but that is a problem for all of us. If we can work with them and help them with those problems through the programs that we have at these HBCUs, not only have we given that individual an opportunity to lift themselves up, but as they lift themselves up, they lift up our communities and they lift up our Nation. So I was very honored when Congresswoman Adams came to me to ask me to participate in this very, very worthy endeavor with her. I know we have done some great things over the last year, but that is just a foretaste of what we can do in the years to come with her inspiration and with her leadership. We have a number of great members in this caucus. One of our most steadfast members is one of the great leaders from the State of Florida, Representative Gwen Graham. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Graham) for her to come forward and present to us her own background and her own feelings about HBCUs.

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege and honor today to be a part of a Special Order on the 1-year anniversary of the bipartisan HBCU Caucus. For those who are listening or who are watching, let me make sure you understand that HBCU stands for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. That is what we will be talking about today. I am the co-chair of this caucus, along with a Member of this body who came up with this idea and who has spearheaded this effort from the very beginning--she is the spirit behind it--Congresswoman Alma Adams from the great State of North Carolina. I yield to Congresswoman Adams so that she may speak to this House and to the Nation about the importance of this topic and about the importance of HBCUs to the United States of America.

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her leadership on this issue and so many issues. It is so important that we have the understanding, each of us, of the institutions in our own district. She talked about Florida A&M, a great institution of higher education in her district. Part of what we hope to do in the caucus is to educate every Member in this body about the institutions in their districts and--perhaps they don't have any institutions in their district--about institutions across America that are HBCUs and what they have done for their communities and what they have done for the United States of America and continue to do every day. I am very blessed to have been able to work with a number of HBCUs in Alabama in my prior positions in the State school board and as a chancellor of post-secondary education. I must admit I didn't know very much about them before I was in those positions. But as I learned about them, as I got to know the administration and the faculty, but, most importantly, the students at those institutions, I realized what a rich resource that is for those students and for the communities that they are founded in. You look around the country at some of the great graduates of these institutions and you realize where would we have been without the HBCUs, particularly during a period of time when African Americans were denied access to regular institutions of higher education because of discrimination in American society. Just because we have made progress in that regard doesn't mean that we have ended the need for HBCUs. In many ways, the need has never been greater, because what we need in our society from the people in our society--in order to perform at the levels that our economy requires, it requires ever greater levels of education, training, and expertise. What might have been enough to know 50 years ago, we need to know far more now and we need to know it at every level of education. We are here today to talk about colleges and universities. Some of the great colleges and universities in America have understood the importance of this and have rallied around our cause. I will never forget our kickoff day when we had the chancellor of the University of North Carolina system here, one of the great university statewide systems that we have in this country, as a recognition of those universities and the role that HBCUs play along with them in providing higher education to people throughout the United States of America. The United Negro College Fund says that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. A great country cannot waste any mind. We need every mind in America to get whatever they need to become the person that they want to become, to realize their dreams, as I said earlier, not only to lift themselves up, but to lift the rest of us up with them. That is what we are talking about when we talk about HBCUs. I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina again for her leadership, for her inspiration, for her continuing to be somebody out there to tell us that we need to keep pushing, we need to keep pushing. As long as she is willing to continue to do that, I am willing to continue to do that with her. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the determined men and women who work at the Airbus assembly facility in Mobile, Alabama, on the successful delivery of the first Alabama-built A321 to JetBlue. I had the honor of attending the special delivery ceremony in Mobile on Monday, April 25th, to celebrate this momentous achievement and share our appreciation with those who made the aircraft a reality. The ceremony was marked with a football theme. The marching band and cheerleaders from the University of South Alabama helped lead the crowd in cheers. The visiting dignitary sitting next to me asked about the theme, and I informed him that we take great pride in football down in Alabama. I then informed him that the same amount of pride we take in our football teams, along with a ton of hard work, is put into the construction of the A321 aircraft. The men and women who work for Airbus recognize how monumental this moment is for the Mobile community, the State of Alabama, and the entire United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I am confident we will be building these aircraft in Mobile for many years to come, and I am so excited about the future of aviation in Southwest Alabama. So, on behalf of my constituents in Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to congratulate Airbus and all of their hardworking employees on this impressive achievement.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Joshua Crownover on being elected the 51st Student Government Association (SGA) President at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Joshua has an impressive record, both in the classroom and in the community. He was a 2014 Valedictorian at Satsuma High School and served as a page for the Alabama State Senate. Since arriving on campus, Joshua has been deeply involved in the South Alabama community. He served as an SGA Senator, SGA Comptroller, and a member of First Year Council. He has participated in South Alabama's Honors program, was selected a Mitchell Scholar, and is a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Mr. Speaker, I am also proud to say that Joshua interned in my Mobile office during the summer of 2015, and he was a strong asset to my Congressional team. I also want to recognize Joshua's parents, Mitchell and Angela Crownover, who have raised an outstanding young man. So, on behalf of my constituents in Southwest Alabama, I want to congratulate Joshua once again and wish him all the best as he serves the students at the University of South Alabama.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a disturbing trend that deserves increased scrutiny in the wake of Russia's growing aggression in the Baltics, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus. Recently, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees to discuss how to counter an assertive Russia, a phenomenon he describes as ``a chief threat.'' To be sure, recent events have led some to question the relevance of the NATO alliance. Indeed, that the U.S. accounted for more than 72 percent of NATO members' total defense expenditures, spending about $649.9 billion last year, exemplifies the need to reform the 28-member defense alliance to restore it to a body that collectively wields the power to deter aggression and secure peace. Currently, only 5 members of the 28 nation alliance spend the NATO recommended 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. This statistic is troublesome and indicative of a vastly disproportionate burden sharing that has existed for far too long and has potentially compromised NATO's effectiveness. Perhaps as a result, Putin has successfully increased pressure on NATO's perimeter in an attempt to solidify control of the ``Near Abroad.'' Moscow's invasion of Georgia in 2008 set in motion what has become an increasingly obvious pattern. Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, ongoing military campaign in the eastern part of Ukraine, and most recently, its confrontation with Azerbaijan through its proxy Armenia, epitomize Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Witold Waszcykowski's characterization: Russia is ``an aggressive neighbor that is openly proclaiming the redrawing of the borders of Europe.'' As NATO members in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe continue to face antagonism from Russia, including a substantial military buildup in Armenia where it has deployed advanced fighter aircraft and attack helicopters to bases in Armenian territory just 25 miles from the Turkish border, the time to address the systemic issues that have plagued the NATO alliance is now. European countries must step up to the plate to counter aggression and send a clear message to Russia that their actions will not be allowed to continue.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important contributions of Mr. William ``Bill'' Tunnell, Jr. Bill Tunnell recently retired after almost 20 years as Executive Director of the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama. Bill Tunnell's impact on Southwest Alabama and our entire state cannot really be put into words. He has succeeded in transforming Battleship Memorial Park into one of Alabama's premier tourist destinations and a top landmark along the entire Gulf Coast. Throughout the process, he has always kept the focus on inspiring patriotism and honoring those who have served our country. Bill moved to Mobile in 1979, where he worked in the hotel and hospitality industry until 1991. It was that year that he took over as marketing and public relations director for Battleship Memorial Park. In 1997, he was named executive director. Through busy crowds, hurricanes, and economic downturns, Bill Tunnell's steady leadership helped ensure the USS Alabama and Battleship Memorial Park remains well maintained and open to visitors. Most recently, Bill successfully organized and planned events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Battleship Memorial Park. Among his many awards and honors, Bill Tunnell was the first ever inductee of the Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame, winner of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce Community Leader of the Year award, and recipient of the Alabama Restaurant Association and Alabama Hospitality Association's Tourism Promoter of the Year award. He was named an ``Honorary Veteran'' in 2011 by the South Alabama Veterans Council, who partnered with Mr. Tunnell on countless projects and events. These are just a handful of his many honors and achievements. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to call Bill Tunnell a friend. He is a truly outstanding individual who has never hesitated to put others above himself. Bill recently said that it is not actually the ship that makes Battleship Memorial Park. Instead, he said it is ``the heart and soul of all the people who've attached themselves'' to the ship. No one has put more of their ``heart and soul'' into the ship and the park than Bill Tunnell. So, on behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to wish Bill and his wife, Cynthia, all the best in retirement, and I hope Bill gets to spend some quality time working on his golf game. Thank you for your service and dedication to our community, our veterans, and the State of Alabama.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of Holy Week, one of the most important time periods for the Christian faith. Sadly, in too many places around the world, Christians are under attack simply because of their religious beliefs. The stories of rape, assault, and murder are heartbreaking. Just look at some of the numbers from the Middle East. In 2003, there were 1\1/2\ million Christians in Iraq. Now that number is down to 275,000 and falling. In the very land where Jesus once walked, Christians are becoming extinct. This Holy Week, may we, as the people's House, reaffirm our commitment to fighting Christian persecution abroad. May we not become discouraged or angry, and may we keep fighting to encourage religious tolerance in the Middle East and all around the world. And, Mr. Speaker, may we remember what is written in the Gospel of John: ``The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.''

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable Americans who served in the Vietnam war. These heroes never received the proper ``welcome home'' they deserved, so I want to take a moment to recognize each of them and thank them for their service and sacrifice. Over three million Americans fought in Vietnam, in addition to countless others who served in various support roles. These individuals left the loving arms of their families and the comfort of their homes to fight for a cause greater than any one person. The fight was not an easy one and the conditions were especially daunting, but they chose to put their lives on the line in defense of freedom and so others may live. Sadly, some of these American heroes never made the return home. Over 55,000 patriots paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our great nation. These individuals are now enshrined in our nation's history on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in our nation's capital, and their legacy will never be forgotten. I would be remiss if I did not also mention the sacrifice of our military families who saw someone they loved go away to war. I'm talking about the newlywed wife whose husband departed just months after their marriage. I'm talking about the young toddler who barely knew their father before they deployed. I'm talking about the mom and dad who shed tears as their young child left to join the fight. I'm talking about each and every family member who had someone they loved fight in Vietnam. They sacrificed so much and deserve to be commended as well. Mr. Speaker, today we salute those who served our nation in Vietnam, and, on behalf of a grateful nation, we thank them for their patriotism and service. May we never forget their sacrifice, may God bless our veterans, and may God always bless the United States of America.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and the underlying resolution. I disagree with the gentlewoman from New York. This is not about politics. This is about the Constitution of the United States. And it is very clear. It says the President ``shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.'' Now, some people may argue about what that may mean. But in 1792, President Washington, who was the chair of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, wrote this: ``It is my duty to see the Laws executed--to permit them to be trampled upon with impunity would be repugnant to'' my duty. Fast forward to 2010. In response to those arguing for executive amnesty at that time, President Obama himself stated: I am President. I am not king. There's a limit to the discretion that I can show because I'm obliged to execute the law. I can't just make the laws up myself. Six months later, the President went further. He said this: There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply, through executive order, ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President. Unfortunately, in 2012, President Obama reversed course and unilaterally imposed a massive program of executive amnesty in violation of this country's immigration laws. In 2014, he doubled down with a second, more expansive executive amnesty program. According to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, 87 percent of all illegal aliens will be exempted from immigration enforcement actions under this President's amnesty policies. Thus, immigration laws, as actually written by Congress, will apply to a mere 13 percent of violators. In the upcoming case of the United States v. Texas, the Court will consider whether the President's executive amnesty violated the Constitution. Consequently, that case has the potential to be one of the most important constitutional decisions on executive power ever decided. This resolution authorizes the filing of an amicus brief on behalf of this House in legal opposition to the President's unconstitutional actions. As a lawyer, I can tell you amicus filings are important. They allow the court to obtain information and arguments from nonparties who have an important bearing on this case. This resolution will allow this body to be heard before the Supreme Court. This is not about immigration policy. This is about ensuring that this President and future Presidents, regardless of their political party, do not have the authority to ignore or change the laws through executive fiat. Ultimately, this is about the Constitution and protecting the rule of law. I urge my colleagues to support this rule and this important resolution.

Mr. BYRNE

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I was very interested to hear my colleague talk about what makes the American people frustrated and angry right now. I have just come through a primary campaign for my seat in Alabama. I spent a lot of time with the citizens of the United States in my district. They are indeed frustrated and angry, and let me tell you why. They are frustrated and angry because we have a government in the Federal sphere that is out of control, and it is taking away their jobs. This regulation will take away jobs from people in Alabama. It will take away jobs from people in 38 States. That is what makes them angry: a Federal Government that cares so little about them that they would put out a regulation like this that kills jobs, that raises the price of bricks on those of us who buy them to build our homes, and the Federal Government thinks that is necessary. But we have to do this today because we have a Federal Government that doesn't understand that its role is not to do that. So let's get back to what this really means. This is not a partisan issue. Two of the sponsors of this bill are from the other party. My colleague from Alabama (Ms. Sewell) is a sponsor of this bill and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) is a sponsor of this bill because they understand it is going to hurt their constituents. It is going to hurt the average working person in this country. My colleagues on the other side don't get that, and because they don't get that, there is no job too small for them, in their minds, to kill. There is no business too small for them to put out of business. There is no amount of money that they are going to increase what we consumers have to pay that is too much for them. They would kill every job, and they would hold back every consumer's ability to get a home at a decent price to get some little, small, almost nothing benefit. There were no amendments offered as part of this debate today because none were offered in committee and none were offered to the Rules Committee. So this is not a closed debate because we are trying to close off amendments. There aren't any amendments. Now, I heard a lot about a judicial stay. I said this in my initial remarks: saying that there is a ``possibility'' for a judicial stay says nothing about the practicality of it. I addressed that in my opening remarks. Let me just tell you, as a practical way, it is almost impossible to get this stay. Yet, when they got a stay several years ago, it was so late in the game that the brick industry had to go ahead and make all the changes, which cost jobs and increased the price of bricks for the rest of us. Here is the truth. My colleague said that there is an obligation to have a rule here. There is already a rule on particulate matter, and most of the benefits in the rule that has been proposed here are to particulate matter. It is already regulated. And, oh, by the way, when that prior regulation that was turned back by the Supreme Court was put out there and the industry had to go ahead and comply with it, they had already reduced emissions by over 90 percent. So what we are talking about in this regulation is another effort to get at some small, little, almost imperceivable benefit at the cost of hundreds, if not thousands, of American jobs. I am astonished that this administration is so insensitive to that. The people of America are angry and frustrated because of that. Now, I know that we are going to be having debates about some of the issues that my colleague talked about, and I am looking forward to those debates. But to the people who work in the industry, this is an important issue. It may not be important to other people in this House, but it is important to people that work for these brick businesses. It is important to me as a consumer looking at what it is going to cost me for buying new bricks. So I would hope that there would be greater sensitivity from this administration for my colleagues in this House to people who are being hurt by this rule, and I hope that we will all take this very seriously as the important issue that it is. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 635 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

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