Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the honor given to me by the people of Mississippi to represent them in Washington. I leave the Senate with confidence that our enduring Constitution guards our country from human error, empowers our citizens to achieve greatness, and shines as a beacon of freedom and liberty for the world. I am optimistic about the future of our great Nation and in the U.S. Senate's role in determining that future. While in Congress, I have served with nine Presidents during times of conflict and peace. We have debated policies from trade to taxes to terrorism. We have engaged in heated arguments. But even in full disagreement, I believe all our motivations begin at the same point: the sincere desire to serve our States and country. No one remains in the House or Senate who was here when I first took office in January 1973, but I am particularly thankful for the friendship and leadership of the senior Senator from Vermont, Mr. Leahy. He and I have fought side by side with each other and sometimes face to face against each other, always with friendship and respect. I am also grateful to have served with honorable Senators from my State. My colleague, Senator Wicker, has been a friend and a strong and effective advocate for our State. We have worked together not only in the Senate, but also when he served as a U.S. Representative. Former Majority Leader Trent Lott continues to be a voice in our national conversation. And the late John C. Stennis provided a witness to integrity when I first joined this body. His signature is above my signature at this desk. It is a tradition in the Senate, like schoolchildren used to do, to sign the drawers of our desks. Senator Stennis signed this desk drawer. He noted the beginning of his service in 1947 and added a dash. He never filled in the date signifying the end of his Senate service in 1989. Perhaps there is symbolism there, that our service does not end when we depart this Chamber. I have been honored by this body to serve as chairman both of the Appropriations and Agriculture Committees. I am thankful to my colleagues, past and present, and to the committee staff for assisting in crafting responsible funding priorities for our country and for developing strategic agriculture policy to ensure the best use of our natural resources to provide affordable and healthy food for our citizens and people around the world. I thank my talented and dedicated staff, many of whom have worked for many years in service to our country. All of us in this body know we could not achieve our priorities without exceptional staff. I have staff members who have served the Senate since my first term. I have one staff member, Doris Wagley, who was already in the office working the very first day I showed up for work in the House of Representatives in 1973. Whether they have been here for 45 years or a shorter tenure, I am grateful for their good assistance. I ran my first Senate reelection campaign in 1984, largely on constituent service. I will always be proud of my State staff for their work on behalf of Mississippians. State staff help us keep our promises to our veterans, find opportunities for small businesses, ensure the elderly or infirmed receive care, and cut through bureaucracy. I am sure members of your State staffs, like my staff, have hearts for their fellow citizens, regardless of their political affiliation. All our citizens have the right to be heard and to have a voice in their government. I believe our job as their servants is not to tell others what to think or tell others what to do. Our job is to represent them. I have endeavored to do that the best way I possibly could; and now the time has come for me to pass the power granted by the people of Mississippi, the power of service, to someone else. When John Sharp Williams of Mississippi left the Senate, he delivered a farewell speech at a dinner organized by the Mississippi Society of Washington. It is sometimes called the ``Mockingbird Speech.'' While I do not share some of the cynicism of that speech, there are sentiments I can appreciate. Here is an excerpt of that speech given March 3, 1923: I am going back to Yazoo City and to my old home on a rural free-delivery route. I want to get up again each morning as I hear the rooster's crow . . . and as night and the time for bed approaches, I will listen to the greatest chorus of voices that man ever heard, music that will charm me and make me ready for repose, the voices of my mockingbirds trilling in the trees. And in that way I want to live the rest of my life, and when the end comes, I hope to be carried out of the house by my neighbors and laid to rest among my people. Now, some may say that is not a very wonderful future, all of this I have mapped out for myself, but I say there is merit in calm retirement . . . Perhaps it is a sign that I ought to retire, for retirement brings repose, and repose allows a kindly judgment of all things. I will now return to my beloved Mississippi and my family and friends there. I will miss this stately Chamber and this city. I will not miss this power or politics. I will miss people: you, my colleagues. I will treasure your courtesy and kindness. I trust, if your travels bring you to Oxford, MS, you will not hesitate to visit and join me for a refreshment on the porch. We can listen to the mockingbirds together. Thank you.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend Dr. Reed L. Mosher for over 38 years of service to the Nation. Dr. Mosher will soon retire as the director of the Information Technology Laboratory, ITL, of the Corps Engineer Research and Development Center, ERDC, headquartered in Vicksburg, MS. His astonishing list of accomplishments range from leading research and development for the Corps, the Army, the Department of Defense, and multiple Federal agencies, to leading the transformation of DOD's research and acquisition communities through the strategic application of high-performance computing, high-speed networks, computational expertise, system engineering, large-scale data analytics, and technology transfer. He instilled a culture of innovation, adaptability, and shared knowledge. Dr. Mosher created a visionary atmosphere where team members are empowered to expand the breadth and depth of data analytics capabilities and explore the future of information management and information technology. During his more than 38-year service to the Nation, Dr. Reed L. Mosher exuded extraordinary leadership with unparalleled vision, compassion, competence, and determination, culminating with his tenure as the director of the ITL, the premier defense laboratory for information technology. His initiative and selfless service in the successful execution of a broad range of decisive research, development, studies, and operational programs in support of military engineering and Army civil works have resulted in lasting contributions to the Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, and the Nation. I am pleased to commend Dr. Mosher for his many years of service and to wish him well in the years ahead.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I urge the Senate to approve the Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018. This legislation is more than a continuing resolution to sustain government operations at current levels through March 23. It incorporates a 2-year agreement setting defense and nondefense spending levels for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the product of bipartisan and bicameral negotiations. This overdue agreement is necessary for Congress to meet its responsibility to provide appropriations to meet national security and other important needs around the country. This deal gives my committee a real opportunity to complete the fiscal year 2018 appropriations process with significant funding to begin rebuilding our military and address national priorities like veterans, infrastructure, and the opioid epidemic. This measure also provides necessary emergency funding to help victims of recent hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters to rebuild their lives and communities. I appreciate the many hours of negotiations that have gone into this legislation. The cotton and dairy provisions are the outcome of months of joint efforts with my friend, Vice Chairman Leahy, to help cotton and dairy producers overcome economic hardships that threaten their livelihoods. I hope we continue in this cooperative and bipartisan fashion as we undertake the challenging work of crafting responsible legislation to finish the 2018 appropriations cycle and begin work on next year's bills.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the language in section 148 of the continuing resolution is included exactly as requested by the administration. It is consistent with language that has been adopted many times in past continuing resolutions. The appropriation for missile defeat previously approved by Congress is very explicit. Section 2002 of that appropriation provides that the funds ``shall be allocated to programs, projects, and activities in accordance with the detailed congressional budget justifications submitted by the Department of Defense to accompany the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Amendments requested by the President on November 6, 2017.'' It further provides that ``changes to the allocation of such funds shall be subject to the reprogramming requirements set forth in the annual appropriations Act.'' Section 2002 explicitly protects the oversight prerogatives of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and its role in approving deviations from the Administration's request. I will continue to work with the Senator from North Carolina on his concerns but must object to his request. Mr. President, I object.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Maj. Matthew W. Taylor, USAF, for his dedication to duty and service as an Air Force legislative fellow. Matt, a special operations pilot, was recently selected to be the assistant to the Vice Commander of the Special Operations Command, SOCOM, a post he will assume in January. A native of Ohio, Matt received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Miami University and was commissioned as an officer following graduation. He earned his wings and qualified as an Air Force pilot following completion of undergraduate pilot training. Matt also has secured a master's degree in diplomacy from Norwich University. Matt has served in a broad range of assignments during his career with the U.S. Air Force. He has served as the deputy commander of the 353rd Expeditionary Special Operations Group and as an MC-130P instructor pilot and flight commander of the 17th Special Operations Squadron. In addition to serving overseas in Europe, Asia, and Africa, Major Taylor has also been deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Matt's leadership has brought great credit to the Air Force. I appreciate and commend his commitment to continue to serve our Nation in an era when pilot shortages are a growing concern for U.S. military leaders. This year, Matt was selected to be an Air Force congressional fellow assigned to my office. In this role, Matt has served the State of Mississippi and the Nation admirably. I have enjoyed the benefit of Matt's counsel over the past year, and my office has been privileged to host him. It is a pleasure to recognize and to thank Maj. Matthew W. Taylor for his exceptional service to our country. My staff and I wish him, his wife, Kotona, and their son Bruce, all the best as they continue their journey in the U.S. Air Force.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Bonnie Kind, who has dedicated her professional career to serving the American people since starting her career with the Social Security Administration, SSA, as a student trainee more than 40 years ago. Bonnie currently serves as the Associate Commissioner for Budget and principal adviser to the SSA Chief Financial Officer. In her current role, she has provided vigilance and stewardship of the agency's approximately $1 trillion program budget and nearly $12 billion administrative budget. Bonnie has earned the respect and gratitude of many on Capitol Hill for her diligence and assistance in making sure Members and staff have reliable information on which to make budget and appropriations decisions. She has excelled at developing relationships over the decades as she educated congressional staff about the Social Security budget. Those dealings, combined with her understanding of the Federal budget process and political knowledge, have helped Congress understand the SSA budget and the service the agency provides. As importantly, Bonnie provides executive leadership and direction to SSA in administering a comprehensive program of budget policy, formulation, presentation, and execution. She secures and manages the financial resources needed by the agency and its employees to serve the public and to ensure stewardship of Social Security programs and resources. Prior to her tenure as Associate Commissioner for Budget, Bonnie served as the comptroller and chief financial officer for the National Security Agency where she oversaw financial management, accounting, and budgeting activities. Before that, she served as the deputy associate commissioner of the SAA Office of Financial Policy and Operations. Bonnie earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Maryland and a masters of business administration from Loyola University of Maryland. She also holds a number of professional certifications, including certified public accountant, certified government financial manager, certified defense financial manager, and certified acquisition professional. Congress depends on the extensive expertise of dedicated public servants like Bonnie Kind. I extend my appreciation and congratulations to her for 40 years of dedicated service to the American people. I wish her the best in her retirement.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I would like to review for the Senate the status of appropriations for fiscal year 2018. The Appropriations Committee has marked up 8 of the 12 regular appropriations bills for this fiscal year. The committee has also processed two supplemental appropriations bills and one continuing resolution. We have little time to finalize the regular appropriations bills and to consider additional supplemental appropriations requests for defense and for natural disaster recovery. We need a new budget deal to finish our work. Congress and the administration must reach agreement on acceptable top-line funding levels for defense and nondefense programs. At the funding cap currently in law, the Appropriations Committee would be hard-pressed to write a 2018 Defense bill that fully meets our national security needs or reflects the priorities of the Senate. The current continuing resolution expires on December 8. We cannot afford to extend that CR into next year. A budget agreement is necessary for the Senate to approve responsible appropriations legislation. I urge all parties to those negotiations to redouble their efforts to reach agreement.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to support the nomination of Randy Reeves of Mississippi to serve as Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Mr. Reeves, a retired, U.S. Navy commander, has distinguished himself in Mississippi and around the Nation through his nearly 30-year military career and steadfast dedication to veterans. Randy, a decorated combat veteran, led the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board for the past 8 years. He recently served as president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs and as a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs Rural Health Advisory Committee. Veterans' cemeteries are hallowed ground on which grateful Americans can honor those who have served our Nation in uniform. As Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, Randy will lead the National Cemetery Administration, a role for which he is well prepared. Randy successfully coordinated design, funding, and construction of Mississippi's two State veterans cemeteries. I am confident that he will serve the Department of Veterans Affairs with distinction. It is with pride and pleasure that I am able to recommend to the Senate the nomination of Randy Reeves.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I urge the Senate to approve the disaster relief supplemental appropriations bill. This bill will provide additional funding for response and recovery operations in areas devastated by recent hurricanes. The storms this year have been severe in both strength and number. Communities in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are struggling to recover. Both the Disaster Relief Fund and the National Flood Insurance Program are depleted. They will soon run out of money for disaster response and to pay flood insurance claims. The supplemental funding in this bill will ensure that first responders and Federal agencies have the necessary resources to continue their important work. This bill also includes funding in response to the deadly wildfires that have ravaged western States. While these emergency funds are needed now, I will continue working with my colleagues to find a better way to fund wildfire suppression in the future. This will not be the end of our efforts to respond to this year's disasters. The Appropriations Committee will continue to work with the administration and with the affected delegations to determine and provide for additional recovery needs. I am committed to doing what is necessary to get the job done.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Norman Joseph of Jackson, a leader in Mississippi athletics, on his induction into the Belhaven University Sports Hall of Fame this month. Coach Joseph is a Vicksburg native who played quarterback and defensive back at Mississippi State University. As a coach in the nearly four decades since, he has delivered a tradition of excellence, success, and Christian character to student-athletes in Mississippi and across the country. Norman Joseph has coached on every level of 4-year college football. Starting and rebuilding teams became a hallmark of his career. He built the Belhaven University football program from the ground up and served as its inaugural head coach. Coach Joseph launched Belhaven's recruiting program, designed its uniforms, and consulted on the creation of practice facilities and a new athletic complex. Under his leadership, the football program experienced immediate success and achieved a Top 25 ranking for 6 consecutive weeks during its second season. Coach Joseph has coached at three Jackson-area colleges. In addition to Belhaven, he served as quarterbacks coach at Millsaps College and head coach at Mississippi College in Clinton for nine seasons. At Mississippi College, Coach Joseph took a program in decline and established a winning culture. Under his guidance, the team had an eight-win season in only 3 years. Within 5 years, the team won the conference championship and went to the second round of the Division III playoffs. Coach Joseph took his team to NCAA Top 25 National Rankings in scoring offense, total offense, passing offense, rushing offense, first downs, and fewest interceptions. In 2009, he coached Mississippi College to the American Southwest Conference cochampions and was named the 2009 American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year and the 2009 American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year. Coach Joseph began his coaching career at the University of Louisiana at Monroe as a position coach working for John David Crow, who was Bear Bryant's only Heisman Trophy winner. He later returned to Louisiana Monroe as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, delivering record offense, four consecutive winning seasons, and three NCAA Division 1AA championship berths ranked at number four or higher. He took over the Louisiana College football program 3 years after that program was reinstated and compiled the school's best record in more than 40 years. He has also assisted programs at the University of Southern Mississippi, San Jose State University, Vanderbilt University, Louisiana Tech University, Northwestern State University, and Midwestern State University. Coach Joseph has set offensive records at every school he has coached, including an NCAA Division I record for combined total yards in a game, a record set in 2001 that remained intact until last year. Coach Joseph's career has been focused on more than gridiron wins and records. As a coach, his attention to the development of players as individuals has resulted in academic and professional success for many young men. Under his guidance, scores of players have earned Academic All-Conference, All-American, All-Conference, and MVP honors. He has the distinction of coaching three quarterbacks with Super Bowl rings, and one of his former players is currently the head football coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Coach Joseph has been active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In 2016, he was appointed by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to the Governor's Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports. I am proud to recognize Norman Joseph as an outstanding Mississippian. He and his wife, the former Jane Bird of Vicksburg, have three daughters, Elizabeth, Grace Anne, and Sara Catherine. Elizabeth serves on my staff. This family is active at First Baptist Church in Jackson where Coach Joseph serves as a deacon. Belhaven University's long tradition of producing successful student- athletes could not be accomplished without outstanding leadership from coaches and staff. I know Norman Joseph provided that leadership and character, and I am pleased he will be honored as a member of the Belhaven University Sports Hall of Fame.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor former Senator Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico, who passed away September 13 in Albuquerque. It was a privilege to call Pete a friend and to work with him as a Senate colleague and member of the Appropriations Committee. Senator Domenici had a great ability to bring people together to work on solutions to complicated challenges like the budget deficit, national security, and energy policy. His passing closes the book on a life well-lived as a public servant dedicated to his family, his State, and our Nation. My condolences go out to his lovely wife, Nancy, and their family. (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend LTC Daniel S. Artino for his dedication to duty and service as an Army legislative fellow and congressional budget liaison for the Assistant Secretary of the Army. Dan was recently selected to command an Apache battalion and will soon depart for Fort Bliss, TX. A native of Stow, OH, Dan was commissioned as an aviation officer after his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in international relations. He also earned a master's degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University. Dan has served in a broad range of assignments during his Army career. He has led troops as an attack platoon leader, a headquarters company commander, and as the commander of an attack reconnaissance company flying Apache helicopters. He has served overseas in Germany and deployed several times into combat in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dan's leadership has been felt from the platoon to the brigade level. In 2015, Dan was selected to be an Army congressional fellow, and my office was fortunate to host him. For the next year, Dan served the State of Mississippi and the Nation admirably. In his subsequent role as congressional budget liaison, Dan ensured the Army's budget positions were well represented to the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations. I have enjoyed the benefit of Dan's counsel over the past 3 years. It is a pleasure to recognize and commend Dan for his service to this country and to wish him and his wife, Cathy, all the best as they continue their journey in the U.S. Army.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend MAJ Richard E. Hagner for his dedication to duty and service to the Nation as an Army congressional fellow and congressional budget liaison for the Assistant Secretary of the Army. Major Hagner was recently selected for the Army's prestigious Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program and will be transitioning from his present assignment to begin doctoral studies at Vanderbilt University. A native of Milwaukee, WI, Major Hagner was commissioned as an infantry officer after his graduation from North Georgia College and State University with a bachelor of science degree. He subsequently earned master's degrees in joint information operations from the Naval Postgraduate School and legislative affairs from the George Washington University. Major Hagner has served in a broad range of assignments during his Army career. He has served as a rifle platoon leader, communications officer, and network engineer, becoming instrumental to the success of his units from the battalion to brigade level. Notably, he has also commanded at the company level in Mannheim, Germany, following a demanding combat deployment to Afghanistan. His leadership has brought great credit to the U.S. Army. In 2015, Major Hagner was selected to be an Army congressional fellow, where he served in the offices of the late Congressman Alan Nunnelee of Mississippi and Congressman Steve Israel of New York. I have had the privilege of working with him in his role as a congressional budget liaison officer. In that role, Richard ensured the Army's budget positions were well represented before the appropriations committees. It has been a pleasure to have worked with MAJ Richard Hagner. His leadership, thoughtful judgment, and exemplary work have been a positive influence on his soldiers, peers, and superiors throughout his career. I am pleased to recognize and commend his dedication to our Nation and service to the U.S. Congress as an Army congressional liaison.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Emmett Chassaniol, Jr., and the Chassaniol family of Greenwood, MS, for 100 years of service and contributions to the U.S. cotton industry. Mr. Chassaniol and his family are the subject of a profile published recently by the Delta Business Journal. The profile not only reviews a century of influence by an agricultural family in the Mississippi Delta but also the changes in the cotton industry over the decades. Mississippi remains one of the leading cotton-producing States in the country. Farmers in my State produced more than 1 million bales of cotton in 2016. Since its founding in 1917, the Chassaniol and Company has helped producers move cotton from the farm to the marketplace. Three generations of the Chassaniol family have engaged in the business of buying, shipping, or selling cotton. I am pleased to recognize their continuous role in meeting the needs of cotton farmers in this important and challenging industry. Today Emmett Chassaniol, Jr., continues the family cotton business established by his grandfather. Since 1996, he has expanded Chassaniol and Company's reach, selling cotton for producers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and areas of the State beyond the Mississippi Delta. Emmett, Jr., like his grandfather, father, and other family members, has served in leadership positions that have helped to maintain cotton as an important commodity crop in my State. I am pleased to join cotton producers throughout my State in commending Emmett Chassaniol, Jr., and the Chassaniol family for 100 years of business in the cotton industry. I ask that the June 15, 2017, article from the Delta Business Journal magazine, titled ``A Century of the Cotton Business--The Chassaniol Family,'' be printed in the Record. The material follows: [From the Delta Business Journal, June 15, 2017] A Century of the Cotton Business--The Chassaniol Family (By Mark H. Stowers) Cotton has been king in Mississippi since the early 1800s but has seen its reign diminish since the late 1980s. The majestic crop has seen a rise in its ranks with an increase in acres planted the past decade. For the past century, the Chassaniol family of Greenwood has been part of the cotton kingdom and its rise and fall and rise again. Emmett Chassaniol Jr., still works in the family cotton business his grandfather started in the early 1900s. He explained the family history in the cotton business by gathering correspondence from his grandfather, family input and his own recollection. In 1917, the Chassaniol and Company cotton business opened its doors in the Cotton Capital city when the transplanted cotton shipper Herbert Spencer (H.S.) ``Pop'' Chassaniol decided to stay in his adopted home town. His original office was on 117 Front street but then he later moved to 110 Main Street--the corner of Ramcat Alley and Main Street in the ``Cotton Row'' area. He stayed in that building until he retired in 1963 and then he passed away in 1966. In 1968, the family sold the building to Mr. Charles Swayze. In 1956, H.S. recounted his career in a letter he wrote to the vice president of the Hibernia National Bank in New Orleans. H.S. had known the VPs father and uncles in the cotton business in the New Orleans Cotton Exchange. ``My first job was at the age of 12, with Kline Wilson and Company and your Uncle Peter J. Stoube was the manager of the New Orleans office. Through my mother's family, Mr. Stoube gave me my first job as his office boy.'' From there Chassaniol worked his way up from the bottom of the cotton business to owning his own cotton business. Emmett's grandfather was later moved to the Delta in 1910-- first to Greenville and then Greenwood with the English firm, Alexander Eccles and Company. But they then decided to close that office and move Chassaniol to Tennessee. But H.S. knew he had found a business home, so he stayed in Greenwood and opened up the Chassaniol and Company cotton business in 1917. The Greenwood Cotton Exchange got its charter in 1927 and H.S. was the first president serving the 1927-1928 term. He later served again from 1940-1941. Since then, H.S.'s sons--Pershing and Emmett (Sr.)--a cotton buyer--each worked the business together before Pershing started his own company--The Pershing Chassaniol Cotton Factor--in 1955 after serving time in World War II. He also served as president of the Greenwood Cotton Exchange for the 1970-1971 term. Pershing was then joined by his nephew Emmett Jr. and Pershing's daughter, Sally Chassaniol McSpadden. Emmett Jr. served as the Greenwood Cotton Exchange president on three occasions--1992-1993, 1999-2000 and 2006- 2007. The Cotton Exchange's final year of existence was in 2009 and then it was dissolved. ``Pershing was in that business from 1955 to 1995,'' Emmett Jr. said. ``My dad was in with my grandfather at Chassaniol and Company. Sam Adams came in as partner with my grandfather in 1931 but they never changed the name. That lasted until 1953 when they dissolved the partnership. My grandfather retired in 1963 and passed away in October of 1966.'' One of H.S.'s sons, Herbert Chassaniol, Jr., worked with him in the business until June of 1939, when at the age of 25, he died in a diving accident on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Also, one of Pop's sons, Lloyd, worked in the cotton business for different companies but never with Pop. ``Uncle Lloyd went to work for the George B. Wolfe and Company in Greenwood representing J.P. Stevens out of South Carolina. In 1963, they moved Uncle Lloyd, his wife and four daughters to Greenville, South Carolina where he stayed with them until he retired. He passed away in January of 2000. His widow and four daughters all still live in South Carolina.'' Emmett Chassaniol said. ``Doris Chassaniol Mallette, one of my grandfather's daughters, worked for him as well. My grandfather's son-in-law, J.E. McCurdy was married to Blanche, was a cotton factor but didn't work for my grandfather. Also, my grandfather's nephew, Herbert Chassaniol, ended up as sales manager over at Staplcotn and retired in 1965.'' Pershing retired in 1995 and sold his building to Viking Range. Then in January of 1996, Emmett Jr. incorporated his business, Chassaniol and Company and moved into the historic McBee building that dates back to 1880. For more than a century, the Chassaniol family has blessed farmers and the family alike as the Chassaniols kept to the foundational value as stated by Pershing quite often to his daughter. ``He said it doesn't matter if the farmer comes in and has one bale of cotton or if a farmer comes in and brings in 100 bales of cotton--you treat them just the same because they are both cotton farmers,'' she said. ``That was one of the things I always remembered.'' McSpadden, like the rest of the family, grew up in the cotton office as well. ``We would be up there working with them, especially during the busy season,'' McSpadden said. ``I came back in 1979 and took momma's place doing the bookkeeping and worked until 1997.'' With no computers, McSpadden had plenty of paperwork to tend to that she included her children's help with as well. ``I would bring work home at night and we'd be sitting in the middle of the living room floor--me and my two boys--and we would have all the class cards spread out and they would help me put them in order,'' she said. ``But just to be able to work with your daddy every day for 18 to 19 years is a true blessing,'' she said. ``We had a wonderful relationship and I went home every day with him to each lunch with momma.'' McSpadden invoiced and paid famers while Emmett graded out and sold the cotton. ``I can't say enough nice things about the farmers, the buyers and the other sellers,'' McSpadden said. ``They were true to their word and it was just a pleasure to be in the cotton business as long as I was.'' Emmett Jr. explained his job as ``I sell cotton for the farmers. That's all I've ever done as well as my Uncle Pershing. My father and grandfather were shippers and buyers but I don't buy a bale of cotton. I just represent the farmer and get the price for him and sell cotton for him.'' Three generation of the Chassaniol family have worked with the Bank of Commerce and continue do so today, according to Emmett Jr. The Chassaniols have experienced plenty of technology changes on the cotton selling side as farmers have seen in the field. As field hands used to pick cotton by hand, all of the bookkeeping and cotton samples were all done by hand with what now would seem to be primitive tools. ``The buyers would actually come by, look at the cotton and grade it themselves and pull the staple on it and give you a bid on it,'' Emmett said. ``Now, I don't ever see a farmer come by the office. It's all done electronically. We get our data electronically and we get our warehouse receipts electronically. I've done business with a guy down in Louisiana for 30 years and we've only seen each other twice.'' McSpadden's early days involved two daily trips to the bank with cotton receipts. ``I invoiced every bale of cotton. In a year's time, we're talking thousands of bales of cotton. In the beginning the receipts were kept at the bank (in the main safe) and every morning we would have to go to the bank and pick up all the cotton receipts and bring them back to the office and I would invoice them out. The ones I didn't finish with, I had to take back to the bank before they closed at 2:00 p.m.,'' she said. But then Pershing got his own safe so his daughter could work a few more hours each day. ``That way we couldn't stop and talk to people on the way to the bank every day,'' she said. For Emmett Jr., the introduction of technology made selling cotton a 24/7/365 business pretty much. ``When I first started, the cotton market would open up at 9:30 a.m. and close at 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. Now it opens at 8:00 p.m. at night and closes at 1:15 the next day. While I'm sleeping, the foreign markets are trading cotton. Sometimes when I wake up at night and punch my phone to see what the markets doing. It's really changed,'' he said. ``In 2008, they went to electronic trading and its changed the cotton business for ever and ever. They used to trade it manually in the pits in New York but now it's just punching a button.'' Chassaniol is gearing up for a busier year this year as more farmers are adding acreage. ``One thing in the cotton business is that no two years are alike weather-wise or marketwise,'' he said. ``In 1963 and '73 we had good falls and big crops. In '73, we had the flood and two million acres of the Mississippi Delta under water. The price of cotton was around 28 cents and with the flood it shot up to around 90 cents. But in February of '74 it fell pretty good. When the water fell, people started planting cotton and beans. We also had a lot of crawfish that year.'' Chassaniol's reach extends beyond the Cotton Capital as he's sold cotton out of Louisiana and Arkansas and in the hills of Mississippi beyond the Delta. ``My favorite part of the business is in the fall when we're busy but with the markets it's a year-round business and you have to watch it every day. When my father and grandfather did it, it was three months--October to December,'' he said. ``It's been a challenge as I've seen my acres decrease over the years but I've got some people coming back who haven't planted cotton in five years. You're going to lose some customers and you're going to pick some up.'' As the Chassaniol women married, many of those joined the cotton business including the McCurdy part of the family. McSpadden knows that the kingly crop brought and kept her Chassaniol family close together. ``I am extremely proud of my entire Chassaniol family. They are wonderful people and we've stayed close over the years. Daddy had six brothers and sisters. We have all stayed close. There were 22 grandchildren. Even though we are scattered around we always know what's going on and we keep in touch.'' With the parents working long hours in the business, they made sure the kids made it to their extracurricular events over the years as well. ``They had this older man, Sidney Matlock (a porter who worked in the sample room) started with momma and daddy. He was somebody that was big in our lives. Momma couldn't get away to take us to Girl Scouts, well they'd send Sidney to take us,'' she said. ``I worked with Sidney for a number of years and he was there until his health failed and he retired. We probably opened 100s of thousands of samples of cotton,'' Emmett Jr. said. ``That's how you sold cotton back then. He was a pretty good judge of cotton himself.'' Chassaniol has relied on his secretary, Penny Kesterson for the past 16 years to keep his office a success and running smoothly. ``She is invaluable in the office she pulls in our electronic data warehouse receipts and classing info. She does the recaps invoicing and sees to wire transfers, plus other clerical duties,'' he said. ``I could not do without her.'' 100 years of working in the cotton business with plenty more to come--the Chassaniol family of Greenwood.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend Jennifer Santos for her service on the Senate Committee on Appropriations. She has served for 5 years as a very capable budget analyst for the Subcommittee on Defense. Her accomplishments have been very impressive and a credit to the Senate. After graduating from Wheeling Jesuit University with a degree in mathematics, Jennifer joined a defense contractor in support of the Air Force's F-22 program. She played an important role in that program and can be proud of her contribution to fielding the most capable fighter aircraft ever developed. Her talent was soon recognized by the Air Force where she served in a series of important positions, including those involving special programs that are key to protecting our national security. Jennifer established a reputation for competence in working with leaders from Department of Defense, Congress, and other agencies to ensure the responsible allocation of taxpayer dollars. Jennifer's detailed knowledge of military budgeting and acquisition systems allowed her to make insightful recommendations to the subcommittee, which have resulted in the better investment of tens of billions of taxpayer dollars over her Senate tenure. In particular, her efforts have supported increased Army helicopter procurement, important research and development projects funding, and legislation to improve the management of the Department of Defense. Jennifer Santos has upheld the highest standards of a budget analyst, congressional staffer, and defense professional. Although she is soon leaving the committee, I wish her all the best on her next steps in her distinguished career and thank her for her work in the U.S. Senate.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Harry Simmons, Jr., of Yazoo City, MS, for his service and contributions to the State of Mississippi while serving as the 81st president of the Delta Council. Since its founding in 1935, Delta Council has grown to be a widely respected economic development organization representing the business, professional, and agricultural interests of the Mississippi Delta region. I am grateful to Delta Council for its continuous role in meeting the economic and quality of life challenges in this unique part of our country. Harry Simmons's tenure as council president began in May 2016. In leading the council, he has been a notably strong advocate for Federal flood control, farm support, and infrastructure improvements in the Delta region. A Yazoo County native, Mr. Simmons graduated from Yazoo City High School and earned an agricultural economics degree from Mississippi State University. He has had a strong career as a catfish and row-crop producer. Mr. Simmons, with his daughter Katy and son-in-law Andy Prosser, jointly manage both his farm operation and highly successful catfish processing operation, Simmons Farm Raised Catfish. His processing facility employs more than 200 people in Yazoo County, and his farming operation consists of catfish, corn, soybeans, and cotton production. In addition to his leadership in Delta Council, Mr. Simmons has served as chairman of the Catfish Institute, president of Catfish Farmers of America, and on the boards of both the Yazoo Planters Cotton Gin and Yazoo County Development Foundations. He also served our State and Nation as a commissioned officer in the Mississippi National Guard. I am pleased to join the people throughout my State in commending Harry Simmons, Jr., and sharing our appreciation with his wife, Shirley, and their children, Emily and Katy, and grandson, Miller, as the 82nd annual meeting of the Delta Council membership convenes in June.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this afternoon, the Senate will consider the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017. The bill will fund the Federal Government for the remainder of this fiscal year. I urge the Senate to approve the bill. It provides our Armed Forces with the money they need to safeguard our homeland and protect our interests around the world. The funding levels are within the limits of the Budget Control Act. In total, the bill will increase Department of Defense spending by $23.6 billion over President Obama's fiscal year 2017 request. These funds are badly needed to improve the readiness of our Armed Forces and to continue our campaign to defeat ISIL. This bill includes the largest investment in border security in nearly a decade. Additional funding is provided for fencing and other physical infrastructure, communications and surveillance technology, the hiring of additional agents, and additional detention beds to help stop the practice of catch and release. These funds will help reduce human trafficking and the flow of illegal drugs into our country. While the additional funds for defense and border security have received much of the attention, there are many other important programs that are funded within the bill. For the second year in a row, providing funding for research at the National Institutes of Health is increased by $2 billion. New funding is included to combat the opioid epidemic that has plagued communities across the country. The FBI receives additional funding to protect against terrorist threats and combat illegal cyber activity. Throughout the bill, spending controls are placed on Federal agencies. There are more than 150 rescissions, consolidations, or program terminations within the bill. These savings have been reallocated to higher priorities. The basis of this legislation is with regard to the 12 appropriations bills that were reported from the Appropriations Committee. This is the second year in a row that the committee has reported all 12 bills. This bill reflects a year's worth of concerted effort by the chairmen and ranking members of our 12 subcommittees. It also reflects a great deal of hard work by the committees' staffs, for which I am deeply grateful. I urge Senators to support the bill.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I would like to bring attention to an important anniversary in the history of the U.S. Senate. Today marks the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. In 1867, the Senate passed a resolution creating a standing committee on appropriations. The committee was founded to bring greater discipline to government spending by consolidating the control, management and oversight of federal expenditures. The primary role of the Congress in appropriating taxpayer dollars is explicit in our Constitution. It is an important responsibility and must not be taken lightly. The Appropriations Committee has served the American people by working together to make thoughtful decisions in the allocation of public funds. It is challenging work. Each year we consider a vast amount of input from public hearings, expert sources, our fellow Senators, and our constituents. We do our best to weigh competing priorities and make responsible recommendations. The Appropriations Committee faces great pressures as discretionary spending is increasingly crowded out by mandatory spending and persistent deficits. It is more important than ever that the appropriations bills be brought before the Senate for careful consideration. I hope we can find a way to do that in the coming months and years. As we mark the 150th anniversary of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, I look forward to working with my friend and vice chairman, the Senator from Vermont. I hope all Senators will work with us to enact appropriations bills that provide for a strong national defense and support our country's domestic and international priorities.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, let me thank the distinguished majority leader for his generous remarks about my service in the Senate, as has been reflected by the last long number of years. It is heartwarming, and it also reminds me of how important our collective efforts are for the future of our country, our economy, peace in our time, and in helping ensure that we make our time here a positive influence over the opportunities that are available for our citizens to enjoy life, safe and secure, with good leaders and commonsense leaders. That is what our leader is. I yield the floor.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senate Committee on Appropriations has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 115th Congress. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on behalf of myself and Vice Chairman Leahy, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the committee rules be printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to the U.S. Navy Construction Battalion, also known as the SeaBees, and congratulate them on their 75th anniversary. It was March 5th, 1942, when the SeaBees were charged by the Navy with the task of building, maintaining, and supporting base infrastructure in remote locations for the Navy and Marine Corps. SeaBees execute this critical mission, while also maintaining the capability to engage in combat operations. For 75 years, the SeaBees have met challenges in times of war and peace. They have been deployed all over the world, contributing to our national security interests by constructing military bases, building airfields, roads, bridges, and even underwater structures. In every major operation our Nation has carried out, from World War II to present operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Navy SeaBees are there, demonstrating unmatched courage, strength, and professionalism. Their personal sacrifices are a testament to the dedication of the Navy's elite construction force. As we honor the SeaBees today, let us not forget to acknowledge the many sacrifices their families have made throughout their 75 years. Whether at home or abroad in the more than 30 countries to which they deploy, it is the support of their families that enables the brave men and women of the SeaBees to accomplish their mission with the utmost devotion to duty, honor, and country. I am proud that Gulfport, MS, serves as home to the Naval Construction Battalion Center, where more than 12,500 SeaBees, sailors, airmen, and soldiers have received valuable training this past year alone. We congratulate the U.S. Navy SeaBees on their 75th anniversary and reaffirm our commitment to them.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend Dr. Jeffery P. Holland for 37 years of service to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Holland will soon retire as the Director of the Research and Development and Director of the Corps Engineer Research Center, ERDC, headquartered in Vicksburg, MS. He is capping his career with a highly successful management term leading one of the most diverse research organizations in the world--an organization that includes seven laboratories in four States with more than 2,000 employees, including more than 1,200 Federal engineers and scientists. As director of R&D and chief scientist for the Corps since 2010, Dr. Holland has effectively promoted its research missions, including warfighter support, military installations, the environment, water resources, and information technology. His work has enhanced our Nation's knowledge and sparked innovation related to military and civilian missions of the Department of Defense and other agencies. His leadership in research and development led to numerous achievements, among them increased soldier survivability and improved unit protection in combat zones. He distinguished himself within the Senior Executive Service with his work to establish excellence in human capital benchmarks, to develop an enterprise knowledge management and technology transfer plan for the Corps, and to develop a science and technology initiative to improve Defense Department acquisition. Over his long career, Dr. Holland earned a reputation as a strong leader and coalition builder, who empowered thousands of engineers and scientists to find new ways to solve problems. His career has resulted in significant and lasting contributions to the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, the Vicksburg community, and the Nation. His distinguished tenure and outstanding accomplishments are in keeping with the highest standards of civilian service and reflect great credit upon him, the Department of the Army, and the Department of Defense. I am pleased to commend Dr. Holland for his many years of service and to wish him well in the years ahead.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to recognize and commend William ``Bill'' Canty of Oxford, MS, on the occasion of his retirement after a distinguished 27-year career as a staff member for the U.S. Senate. Bill has earned my respect and that of the thousands of people in north Mississippi who know him as a dedicated field representative on my staff. I am confident that the tenacity, loyalty, and work ethic that characterized Bill's work for me were forged early in life with the lessons he learned as an outstanding student athlete. Bill grew up in the shipbuilding town of Pascagoula, MS, where he earned letters in basketball, baseball, and football. As a college freshman at Furman University, he started at quarterback for the Paladins and set school records throughout his college football career, completing 215 passes for 2,460 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was elected unanimously in 1988 for induction into the Furman University Hall of Fame. Bill played professional football for the Toronto Argonauts, a Canadian Football League organization, but was soon called to serve his country. After serving as an Army combat training officer, he began an extensive coaching career during which he earned a reputation for developing quarterbacks and strong passing offenses--first at Furman, then at Florida State University and the University of New Mexico. In 1978, Bill returned home to Mississippi to coach at the University of Mississippi. He is one of the only coaches in the SEC to ever have been both the offensive and defensive coordinator in back to back seasons. Bill left coaching in 1987 and settled in Oxford. Following his coaching career, Bill turned his leadership talents in a new direction. Fellow Pascagoula native and former U.S. Senator Trent Lott first hired Bill as a field representative, and I was fortunate to bring him on my staff in 2008. Bill has served my office and the people of Mississippi honorably and with great dedication. I am deeply grateful for having the benefit of his excellent service to our State and Nation.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I wish to commend Nell Payne for her distinguished career in public service. For the past 16 years, she has served as the director of government relations for the Smithsonian Institution, where she has been a tireless advocate for the Smithsonian. She has worked to advance the institution's mission of promoting the increase and diffusion of knowledge. Her professionalism, expertise, and integrity have helped the Smithsonian improve on its reputation as the premier museum system in the world. Her leadership and vision have directly benefited the millions of Americans and international travelers who enjoy Smithsonian exhibits and programs each year. She also served our country in the U.S. Senate on the staff of the Budget Committee and in the White House as a special assistant to the President. I congratulate Nell Payne on her retirement and thank her for the important contributions she has made to the Smithsonian Institution and throughout her professional career.