Kay Granger

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde), a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the majority leader.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Van Drew.)

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I urge the support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following Proclamation. Whereas, Thos. S. Byrne, a distinguished construction services firm, was founded on July 17, 1923, in Fort Worth, Texas, by the visionary Thomas Sneed Byrne, a native Texan and an esteemed alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Whereas, throughout its illustrious history, Byrne has left an indelible mark on the Stale of Texas, shaping much of the Texas skyline and contributing to the growth and development of communities through its commitment to excellence, quality, and service; Whereas, from its first milestone project completion in 1928, the Montgomery Ward's Regional Headquarters, to its innovative contributions recognized with the ``Build/America Award'' in 1972 for the revolutionary construction techniques utilized in the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Byrne has consistently exceeded expectations and set new standards for architecturally significant and high-quality projects; Whereas, in 1995, John Avila, Jr. exemplified his dedication to construction and community by acquiring Thos. S. Byrne, where he skillfully expanded the company's presence and influence, while fostering long-lasting relationships and a warm family atmosphere among employees and clients alike growing the firm on the mantra People Build Buildings and dedicating our success to the men and women of Byrne; Whereas, John Avila's visionary leadership led Byrne to diversify its pursuits, resulting in strong portfolios in aviation, municipal, healthcare, historic restoration, commercial, education, and high-end residential markets, with a pioneering focus on technology in construction; Whereas, in 2015, a new chapter began as John Avila passed on the mantle of Chairman to his sons, Matthew and Paul Avila, who have since taken on the roles of CEO and COO respectively, carrying forward the legacy of excellence, quality, and service for the next generation; Now, therefore, I, Kay Granger, United States Representative, do hereby proclaim and commend the remarkable journey of Byrne, from its humble beginnings in 1923 to becoming one of the largest construction services firms in the state, and a true embodiment of dedication, innovation, and community-driven values; I call upon the citizens of Texas and beyond to recognize and celebrate the immense contributions of Thos. S. Byrne to the built environment and cultural fabric of our communities, as well as their dedication to delivering projects that have defined the very essence of our State;

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5860) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes.

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5860, a bill that keeps the government open until November 17. While I would rather be here speaking on the floor about final appropriations bills, I want Members to understand why passing a short- term funding bill today is so important. First, I want to explain how we find ourselves in this situation. Just 9 months ago, when Republicans took back the majority in the House, our commitment was to regular order for appropriations, no more omnibus measures released in the dead of night, no more Christmas Eve votes on thousands of pages of text that Members of Congress had not read. Unfortunately, there were a few stumbling blocks as we sought to change the process. For example, the administration's budget request was more than a month late. It then took months for the President to come to the table on the debt ceiling negotiations. Even before the debt ceiling agreement spending framework was in place, the Appropriations Committee got to work. In fact, this year, we held more than 70 hearings, reviewed roughly 80,000 requests from Members, listened, and then acted. We began markups in May, 5 months ago, and then made adjustments to reflect changes in the law that set spending caps for the year. The appropriations bills moved through the subcommittees and then the floor. Even though a few bills have more steps to take in the process, I am proud of the work we have done. As of today, we have sent four appropriations bills to the Senate, totaling roughly 70 percent of funding needed for this year. The Senate has not sent us any bills yet. The House has now laid down a marker on what I believe are our highest priorities. It should be crystal clear to the American people that House Republicans support what is in our national security. Most importantly, we are focused on our troops and our veterans as well as defending our homeland and our interests abroad. At the same time, the bill we have drafted demonstrates that we must stop government overreach and the out-of-control spending of the last few years. These are the most conservative appropriations bills in history, and we simply need more time to get our important work done. While a continuing resolution is not ideal, it prevents a harmful government shutdown, gives us more time to pass the appropriations bills on the floor of the House, and allows us to start negotiations on final, full-year bills with the Senate. Yesterday, I voted for a different version of a short-term funding bill that included key border security measures. I strongly support these efforts and will continue to fight for them as this process moves along. Today, the most important priority is keeping government open while we work on full-year appropriations bills that reflect conservative priorities. Passing this bill is the best way for us to move the process forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York, (Mr. Molinaro).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. D'Esposito).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquiare as to the time remaining.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Amodei).

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Private First-Class Richard Barancik who passed away on July 14, 2023. He was the final surviving member of the ``Monuments Men'', the World War II heroes who were responsible for finding and safeguarding the artistic and cultural achievements of western civilization stolen by the Nazis. Private First-Class Barancik enlisted in the Army and joined the 42nd Division, 232 Infantry in Austria, where he learned of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, and, applied for duty. For several weeks, Private First-Class Barancik and his unit assisted in the movement of stolen art treasures to the central repository of Property Control Branch and served as its guards. From his arrival in Salzburg, he was enamored with the dedication of the citizenry to art. After his service, he would go on to attend Cambridge University in London, finish his architecture degree at the University of Illinois, and found an eponymous architecture firm that designed numerous buildings, campuses, and dwellings throughout Illinois. Private First-Class Barancik is remembered as a man of sharp mind and strong conviction, a lover of art, and a devoted father and grandfather. When I first learned about the Monuments Men and Women, I was struck by their story and wanted to recognize the brave men and women of this unit for their contributions during World War II. In 2014, I had the opportunity to sponsor the Monuments Men Recognition Act which awarded their unit with the Congressional Gold Medal, and I was thrilled when it was signed into law. I was lucky to have the opportunity to meet Richard Barancik, and 4 of the other Monuments Men and Women in 2015 at the presentation ceremony of their Congressional Gold Medal. They fought tirelessly against an unwavering evil to preserve the greater parts of our history and I am immensely proud to say that I have been a supporter of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation from its inception. The closing of Richard Barancik's final chapter again underscores the reality that our Nation's veterans of World War II have already begun to recede from our present, and into the endless window of our memories. His work, viewed through this lens, has bestowed to younger generations the highest legacy to which any man could aspire. Without the service of his unit, great treasures of history and art would have been irrevocably lost. Our country, and our world, owes Mr. Barancik the greatest honor, both in memory and in practice. Rest in peace Private First-Class Barancik, an irreplaceable part of our Nation's greatest triumph, and an American hero in his own right.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize John Martens, a long-time member of the professional staff of the House Appropriations Committee, who has more than 30 years of service working for all 3 branches of the Federal Government. His dedication to our Nation exemplifies the hard work and commitment of an admirable public servant. John began his career at the Naval Sea Systems Command in 1991 as a budget analyst, rotating through various budget and program offices. Following his time at the Naval Sea Systems Command, in 1994, John became a budget analyst at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, where he performed budget formulation and execution activities for the Federal Judiciary and supported the Budget Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. In 2002, John became professional staff for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, Judiciary, and Related Agencies. When the House of Representatives switched control in 2007 and the House Appropriations Committee was reorganized, setting the subcommittees to their current form, John moved to the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, where he served as Minority Clerk and Staff Director until 2010. After House Republicans took the Majority in 2011, John led the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government as Majority Clerk and Staff Director. At the start of the 114th Congress, John returned to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies as the Majority Clerk and Staff Director until 2018. When I became Ranking Member of the Full Committee in 2019, I asked John to serve as Minority Clerk and Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. Accumulated throughout his years of service, John's immense knowledge and experience earned him the position of Senior Advisor to the House Appropriations Committee at the beginning of the 118th Congress. This role presented a range of new challenges that I knew he would handle expertly, advising me as House Appropriations Chairwoman, the Subcommittee Chairs, and the staff--many of whom he intentionally trained and mentored. John has been an exceptional member of the House Appropriations Committee staff for more than 20 years now, with nearly 5 of those years on my staff. During his time on the Committee, John has successfully developed and implemented strategies for advancing legislation through the Committee and the House of Representatives. In his various roles, I asked John to work on some of the most complex issues, and he secured key legislalive wins during periods of divided government and tense political disagreements by finding common ground with his colleagues. He has more than demonstrated his ability to handle any task put before him. It is my distinct honor to recognize John as he leaves the halls of Congress and starts his next chapter. It is not the end of a career but rather the beginning of a new adventure. After many early mornings and late nights as a public servant, I know John is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Gail, and 2 children, Julia and James. He will be greatly missed, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the United States and wish him the very best.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4366, and that I may include tabular material on the same.