Kay Granger

Ms. GRANGER

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

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

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

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

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this bill. I would now like to take some time to honor one of my committee staff, Dave Raser, who passed away suddenly on Saturday. At just 24 years of age, he worked just as hard as anyone and did so with a heart of gratitude and service. Dave joined my staff as an intern in 2019 and did such a great job that he officially joined my staff in 2020. Next week, we would have celebrated his 2-year anniversary with the committee. He always had a smile on his face and a joyful spirit that uplifted everyone. He truly made a positive impact on everyone he interacted with. On behalf of Congress and the Appropriations Committee, I offer our sincerest condolences to his family, especially his sister, Emily, whom he greatly admired and cherished. Words cannot express how saddened we are at the loss of someone so young and so kind. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Brooke Boyer Barnard for her exemplary dedication and service to our nation. Since 2007, Brooke has worked for the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, most recently as the Professional Staff Member overseeing significant funding for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Brooke is a proud native of Fairfax Station, Virginia, and is the daughter of Gary and Cathy Boyer. She earned a bachelor's degree in Economics at the University of Virginia and a master's degree in Public Policy from George Mason University. Brooke started her career in 2003 as a Budget Analyst for the United States Army. In 2007, Brooke transitioned to begin her storied career with the House Appropriations Committee. Over the course of her time on the committee, Brooke has overseen a wide range of accounts for the Department of Defense. As one of the most seasoned and trusted staff members, Brooke has played a key role in some of the most important decisions relating to the Department of Defense over the past 15 years. Over the past six years, Brooke directly oversaw all procurement and research, development, testing, and evaluation accounts for the Departments of Navy and Marine Corps. With her insights and deep understanding of these programs, we, as a committee, were able to make informed decisions to keep our nation safe. Simply put, we are better off because of Brooke's tremendous service. In January, Brooke accepted an exciting opportunity with a leading defense company. While I am disappointed that she will no longer be on our staff, I am looking forward to seeing the great impact she has in shaping how industry can successfully partner with the Department of Defense. Over the years, I have come to know Brooke as an honest broker and a friend. My colleagues and I on the Appropriations Committee are extremely grateful for her contributions to our important work. I look forward to the day we can finally convince her to return to us. On behalf of a grateful nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending Brooke for her service to our country, and we wish her all the best as she continues her service to the United States.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas O'Brien, an accomplished professional staff member of the House Appropriations Committee, who is retiring after more than 31 years of service in the Federal Government. Tom began his career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1990. In 2004, during his tenure with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Tom was detailed to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, where he assisted with the fiscal year 2005 and fiscal year 2006 appropriations bills. Following his detail, Tom became the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service and would soon become the Chief Financial Officer. In his role, Tom was responsible for managing fiscal policies and practices for over 10,000 employees and $1 billion. Then, at the start of the 112th Congress, Tom rejoined the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture as professional staff, where he utilized his more than 20 years of Executive Branch experience. In 2014, Tom became Clerk for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. In this role, Tom was responsible for a portfolio exceeding $23 billion. Tom was an outstanding member of the Appropriations Committee staff for more than ten years, and he served on my staff for three of those years. Tom was tasked with working on some of the most complex issues in the agriculture sphere, and he performed exceptionally. Tom dedicated much of his life to public service, and I know he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife and three daughters. Tom will be dearly missed by his colleagues--I wish him the very best in his next chapter and thank him for his devoted service to the United States.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize United States Coast Guard Commander Adam Koziatek for his outstanding performance as part of my committee staff over the past two years. Commander Koziatek graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2002. Following graduation, he was assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau, where he supervised the engineering department and managed a $250,000 annual budget. After this assignment, Commander Koziatek was assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bertholf as an engineer officer. In this role, he established shipboard programs and conducted oversight of a $276 million contract. Then, in 2006, Commander Koziatek enrolled in the U.S. Naval Joint Flight Training program. Following completion of this program, Commander Koziatek utilized his training to respond to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the humanitarian relief efforts following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, he would later execute missions spanning the Coast Guard's largest area of operation. In 2018, Commander Koziatek was assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard's Financial Analysis & Budget Execution Division, where he was responsible for a portfolio exceeding $6 billion. Then, in 2020 Commander Koziatek began as a fellow to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. He brought nearly 20 years of experience with the U.S. Coast Guard and became a trusted and valuable member of my staff. I offer my deepest appreciation to Commander Koziatek, and I wish him the very best.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Major Aaron Gadbois, who will be leaving my office after a year of distinguished service to the people of Texas Congressional District 12. Aaron joined my office in January 2021 through the Department of Defense (DOD) Legislative Fellowship Program. This highly selective program assigns servicemembers to congressional offices for one year, allowing them the opportunity to gain valuable legislative experience and contribute to the work of Congress. Demand for DOD Fellows always outstrips supply, so offices must compete to be assigned one. I was lucky to be assigned a Fellow of Aaron's caliber. Aaron has a tremendous record of service. At 17, he enlisted in the Air National Guard and was assigned to the 114th Fighter Wing, South Dakota Air National Guard, before later joining the ``Capital Guardians'' of the 113th Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard, where he earned his commission. In recent years, he served in missions to the Korean Peninsula, the Philippine Islands and Poland, and after completing his service in my office, Aaron will return to the 113th Wing, where he will continue his service to our Nation. Aaron is one of six children of Barb and Larry Gadbois--in a family that epitomizes the Air National Guard's citizen service member ideal. Remarkably, all six Gadbois siblings served, or are currently serving, in the Air National Guard. A proud South Dakotan, Aaron loves the outdoors. His passion for hunting and fishing is clear to anyone who has taken a virtual meeting with him and noticed the trophies that adorn his home office. With a Bachelor of Science degree from South Dakota State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Southwest Minnesota State University, he has earned impressive civilian qualifications that have served him well from the private sector to his service as a full- time, active duty member of the Air National Guard. The Appropriations Committee can be a daunting environment for a Fellow to enter, but Aaron took to his work methodically and enthusiastically, relishing the opportunity to expand his knowledge and contribute to the legislative process. Aaron had a leg up in his wife Stephanie, a veteran Committee staff member. I suspect she may be partially responsible for his quick learning curve in the intricacies of the appropriations process. Additionally, Texas's 12th District is home to numerous DOD priorities including the F-35 program, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, and thousands of Active, Guard, and Reserve servicemembers. Aaron quickly built a relationship with these entities, mastered their issues, and was essential in helping me fight for them. Aaron made a great impact on his fellow staff members. He brought to my office a level head, hard-earned wisdom, and a genuine desire to mentor and learn from his coworkers. He integrated seamlessly into the team, joining us for our staff retreat and getting to know not just his colleagues in my Washington office, but the district-based staff in Fort Worth as well. Aaron will be missed for his work, but even more for his presence as a colleague. On behalf of Texas' 12th Congressional District, I offer Aaron a heartfelt thank you and best wishes for the future.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today I rise to speak on H.R. 6119, a short-term continuing resolution through February 18. I must admit that I am disappointed to be on the floor of the House today to speak about a continuing resolution rather than full-year appropriations bills. But earlier this year, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle crafted fiscal year 2022 bills with little input from Republicans, and we have not been able to find a path forward. During markups this summer, our Members made it clear we would not support partisan bills that include irresponsible spending increases and extreme policies. Unfortunately, that is exactly where we find ourselves. The House and Senate bills were drafted to top-line spending levels that do not reflect a bipartisan consensus. The majority party also focused funding on their own priorities with nondefense spending increasing at a much higher rate than defense spending. And last, but certainly not least, the policies in the bills are the most extreme that I have seen since I became a member of the Appropriations Committee. During 2019 and 2020, there were also strong differences of opinions, but we had an agreement in place that allowed us to negotiate final bills quickly. The terms were rather simple. The party leaders and the White House reached early agreement on the spending framework. Everyone agreed to drop controversial language and restore longstanding provisions unless all sides agreed to changes. I am concerned that we cannot have meaningful discussions on full-year appropriations without a similar understanding before we start. I wish we would have focused on funding the essential elements of government long before now. Instead, too much time has been spent focusing on extremely partisan and costly bills being sent to the President's desk, and there could be another bill on the way before the end of the year. It is unrealistic for Republicans to negotiate on appropriations bills while this massive reconciliation package is still under discussion. Our constituents are demanding that we take a comprehensive look at all of the spending this year. With our debt skyrocketing and inflation at the highest levels in 30 years, we cannot afford to think about appropriations bills in isolation. However, I do hope that we can make progress getting our bills finalized once we move into the new year; otherwise, we will be having the same conversation in February about another continuing resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 30th anniversary of the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering. Established three decades ago, this multi-faceted event started at the Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. Named after famed American Western musician and poet Russell ``Red'' Steagall, this three-day gathering brings together more than 30,000 people each year from across the globe. The first gathering began as a celebration of cowboy poetry, which grew from the tradition of cowboys telling stories over campfires. The Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering that exists today still honors the roots of cowboy poetry, but it has evolved into a much larger celebration of music, poetry, and more. To kick off the gathering, one of the last authentic wagon trains is formed by participants throughout the state, travelling to various ranches across Texas until they arrive at the Fort Worth Stockyards to kick-off the festivities. The Western Swing Festival & Dance features musical performances each night of the event by artists such as Bobby Flores, Jake Hooker, and Red Steagall himself. Rodeo is also a major part of the heart and soul of this gathering, with multiple events featuring competing ranches that battle for bragging rights and the opportunity to showcase the skill and grit of the cowboys who work this lifestyle every day. One of the greatest accomplishments of the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering, however, is the scholarships provided to students interested in Western culinary arts, poetry, and swing music. To date, the gathering has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships, with over $250,000 coming from the Youth Poetry Contest alone, to those students who are looking to keep these traditions alive for generations to come. Our community owes a great deal to Red Steagall for hosting this gathering and helping shape the world-renowned event that it has become today. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering, and the executive producers, Mr. Red Steagall himself, Mr. Steve Murrin, Mr. Hub Baker and Mr. Jim Calhoun, Jr., along with the countless others who make this time-honored event possible, and all that this tremendous family event does to bring together Fort Worth and the entire state of Texas each year to share our mutual passion.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to speak about H.R. 5305, a bill that will prevent the Federal Government from shutting down and provide a helping hand to Americans who have faced loss and devastation due to storms, wildfires, and other natural disasters. I should note that I opposed a similar package last week when it came to the floor. Since that time, the Senate has removed the debt ceiling from the bill. Madam Speaker, let me reinforce an important point for those listening to us debate this bill. We did not have to be in this place just hours before shutdown. Republicans made it clear in August that tying a debt ceiling vote to the continuing resolution was not something we could support. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, the party that controls the House, the Senate, and the White House decided to do exactly what we asked them not to do. I hope we can soon move forward with the stopgap measure so that the critical function of government can continue and the Committee on Appropriations can finish the fiscal year 2022 bills. If we don't pass a CR today, we will be faced with an unnecessary and costly government shutdown, which would impact military readiness, border security, and so many important programs Americans rely on. Before I close, I must admit that I am disappointed that an issue I raised repeatedly on the floor of the House last week is not yet resolved. I firmly believe that we cannot wait any longer to replenish Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system that was so successful this past spring when Israel was under attack. The Iron Dome bill that passed the House last week had overwhelming support of 420 votes. The best solution would have been for the Senate to add back the Iron Dome funding to this CR. Since that did not happen, I hope my colleagues in the Senate will continue to work to get the Iron Dome bill passed as a standalone legislation as quickly as possible. Israel deserves our strong support. It is essential that the terrorists who wish to do them harm know that the United States stands by our allies and friends. I also have concerns about some of the provisions related to Afghanistan. I hope the issues raised by Senator Cotton during consideration this morning can be addressed. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack), the ranking member of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.

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

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5323, which provides funding for Israel's Iron Dome system. I have a long record of supporting Israel and am proud to support this bill today. We originally secured funding for Iron Dome in the continuing resolution that was filed Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, that funding was then stripped out to address concerns on the Democrat side, and a new CR was introduced. In addition, Republicans voted for my motion to recommit, which could have addressed this issue, but the majority party was united in voting against it. Let me explain why this bill is important to pass as quickly as possible. Four months ago, Israel was under attack from terrorists. The rocket fire into Israel was unprecedented. Countless civilian lives were saved because of the Iron Dome system that the United States has supported year after year. Due to the attacks this last spring, Iron Dome rocket interceptors need to be replenished. This funding is critical and time-sensitive. We must ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself in the face of real and growing threats. Providing this funding sends an important message to Israel and those who wish them harm, that the United States stands with Israel and against terrorists. We must reassure our ally that America will never turn its back on the great State of Israel. I urge passage and reserve the balance of my time.