Steven Palazzo

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4119, the Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act. The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a national park that draws millions of visitors to the islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico. It includes the Mississippi barrier islands of Petit Bois Island, Horn Island, East and West Ship Island, and Cat Island, as well as the Davis Bayou Area. I am proud to have this important park and its natural beaches, historic sites, and wildlife sanctuaries within my district. The Gulf Islands National Seashore has been a part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast community since Congress established the park in 1971. Since that establishment, the Gulf Islands National Seashore has worked closely with the Mark Seymour Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW Post 5699. In fact, the post has shared a road with the seashore for the better part of the last 30 years. The Gulf Islands National Seashore Land Exchange Act would make permanent a 30-year easement that has provided an access road and driveway for the VFW. In exchange, the VFW will give the Gulf Islands National Seashore some of its acreage, which includes wetlands. The Gulf Islands National Seashore and the VFW both strongly support this land exchange, but the Department of the Interior needs congressional approval before it can make the land exchange official. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I encourage the House to pass this bill today. I would also like to thank Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Tsongas, as well as Subcommittee Chairman McClintock, and the Committee on Natural Resources, for their support and help in bringing this bill to the floor and seeing it across the finish line.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chairman, today's bill to improve public housing is a strong step in streamlining a massive Federal program. I want to thank Chairman Hensarling for allowing us to have this debate. As a former public housing authority executive, I know all too well how important it is to balance financial and managerial responsibility and oversight while, at the same time, ensuring residents' needs are met. This amendment is simple and addresses an outdated and misinformed statute in the United States Housing Act that requires the membership of directors of a public housing agency contain one member who is directly assisted by the agency. Opposition to this rule is not new. When HUD proposed these rules in 1999, PHAs across the United States issued statements of opposition. Some would argue that requiring resident members to serve on the board is a blatant conflict of interest, as he or she would be making decisions that financially impact his or her family and their well- being. While I agree, I am not here to debate that today. This amendment addresses only the PHAs in three States and one county. This is because, in our respective State constitutions, there are provisions that expressly oppose the idea of a board member of any group receiving benefits from the very agency upon which he or she serves. This amendment does not rob the residents in specified areas of a voice in the affairs of their housing. In fact, it is a Federal requirement that each PHA have a resident advisory board comprised of at least one resident who serves as a liaison between the PHA and housing residents. I speak from experience when I say that their input is always acknowledged and much appreciated. This commonsense provision is usually passed through the appropriations process, as it has been for decades. My amendment simply makes it permanent. I encourage adoption of this commonsense provision. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chair, I want to thank my colleague for expressing some good points. This amendment actually continues to allow residents of housing authorities to have a strong voice. It monitors the situation not just in our housing authorities that we are trying to exempt under States where their constitution prohibits board members from being able to sit on boards where they have a monetary or fiscal interest in that. It is a huge conflict of interest. We are not going after all 2,700-plus public housing authorities. We are just trying to make sure the States that have constitutions prohibiting such blatant disregard to common sense and having that conflict of interest are protected. Apparently, there is a personal interest in the one jurisdiction. Hopefully, when my amendment is adopted, if we are going through the conference process with the Senate, we can work with my colleague to make sure that her State HA that she is referencing is taken care of. But, again, my amendment I think adds more voices to the governing process for them to know what is going on in their local housing authority. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, time and time again, the President has violated the boundaries of executive power. He has refused to enforce our immigration laws. He has opened the borders to Syrian migrants against the will of the American people. He has even changed the provisions of his own disastrous healthcare bill. This week, the administration once again thumbed its nose at Congress and the American people by jeopardizing the gun rights of law-abiding citizens. Mr. Speaker, the American people are fed up. The American people continue to see the executive branch not only deciding which laws they choose to enforce, but changing and interpreting the laws as they see fit. The White House has become judge, jury, and executioner, in clear violation of the principles on which this Nation was founded. Today I am introducing a resolution to censure President Barack Obama to serve as a clear rebuke and condemnation of the unconstitutional actions of this President. This is a bold measure, but is one that is necessary to preserve the very institution that we are all honored to serve: the United States Congress. The Constitution requires that the President shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed. This President has failed to do so on numerous occasions. The Constitution also requires the President to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. The President has failed to do so. Not only is the President trying to do our job, but he has failed to do his. His announced actions on gun control are just the latest example of blatant executive overreach by the President. Congress must fight back. I want to make it very clear. This is not about President Obama. This is about the actions of a President who has encroached too far on the powers of Congress. Under the Constitution, Congress is an equal branch of government and should be treated as such. We cannot roll over on every executive overreach. We cannot wait to fight next time. We cannot wait for the next President because it is not about this President or the next President. It is not about politics. It is about preserving the power of the legislative branch against this President and any future President who seeks to use egregious executive action at the expense of Congress. A resolution of censure of the President has been used rarely, but is not without precedent. It is a way for Congress to fight back against executive overreach. Censuring the President will preserve for the historical and legal record that this Congress at this time disapproves of this President's executive overreach. It is time Congress fights back as an institution. I urge my colleagues to live up to their oath of office, both Republican and Democrat, to support this resolution to censure the President and put the executive branch on notice that violating the separation of powers and using unconstitutional executive overreach will not be tolerated by Members of the United States Congress now or in the future.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I give my full support of Senate Bill 1090, the Emergency Information Improvement Act. Congressman Brian Higgins of New York and I sponsored the House version of this bill, and we are proud to see this simple but very important piece of legislation pass. Disasters strike every year in every corner of America. Hurricanes on the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard, ice storms in the Midwest and plains states, wild fires in the West, tornados through our Nation's heartlands and flooding in Texas, the Carolinas, and elsewhere. During a disaster, local public radio stations play an essential role in delivering information about response efforts, local relief supplies, evacuation orders and emergency routes, where to find food, shelter and fuel as well as on-the-ground, at-the-scene reporting to help affected communities understand and respond. Approximately 98 percent of the American population has access to a public radio or TV signal. Current federal emergency response and relief statutes are ambiguous on whether local public broadcasting stations are eligible for emergency financial assistance when damaged by storms and other disasters. This legislation amends the Stafford Act to make clear that local public radio and broadcasting stations are eligible recipients of disaster relief. The Emergency Information Improvement Act brings greater stability to the availability of critical information during times of crisis. Its passage by Congress will significantly boost our efforts to ensure that all Americans have the information they need when they need it during occurrences of natural and man-made disasters. It will guarantee that locally licensed stations are eligible for federal disaster relief funding in the event their facilities are impacted by a disaster. I want to personally thank my colleagues in the Senate, Senators Ted Cruz and Cory Booker, for introducing companion legislation in the Senate and for their hard work in seeing this important piece of legislation pass their chamber.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Wayne County High School football team on winning the 5A Mississippi State Football Championship. The War Eagles finished their 12-3 season in a 45-41 victory over the defending State champion, Oxford High School. In the final minutes of the game, four-star defensive tackle Benito Jones caught a touchdown pass from Reggie Stewart, putting the War Eagles ahead. Earlier this year, Jones was named a Dandy Dozen, which is a title given to the top 12 high school football players in Mississippi. It takes resilience, perseverance, and, most importantly, skill to beat a defending champion on its home turf in Oxford. That is why I congratulate the team, Coach Todd Mangum and his staff, and the parents and administrators for bringing home the State title. We are proud of you.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the imminent danger facing our Nation in the wake of the terrorist attacks in California. Earlier this week, the President addressed the country to talk about the impact of the Islamic State and the attacks in California. From what I saw, he gave his usual very brief and very naive analysis of the threat of global terrorism. Yet, once again, he still failed to provide any actual plan or strategy. He made very clear that he believes his plan is working. He talked a lot about how we would continue to do the same things we have been doing for months. Meanwhile, ISIS continues to grow, expanding their influence, and hitting targets far from their home in Syria. It is unfortunate that very few people I have spoken to feel surprised by the lack of focus and direction coming from the White House. This is the same President that has been dismantling our military piece by piece. He has continued to push for unsustainably low funding for our military in favor of social programs, while making dangerous deals that jeopardize the safety and security of our Nation and our allies overseas. All the while, he claims to be putting the safety and security of the American people first. It seems abundantly clear to me and the rest of the country that the most important thing to this President is his personal legacy of instituting social change and other liberal wish- list items. During the same address, where he claimed all of his plans were working and we should continue along the same course, he also argued that part of the solution to Muslim extremism was more gun control here in America. Obviously, the President's memory is pretty weak. The Boston bombers did unthinkable harm with household items. The San Bernardino terrorists--yes, terrorists--had a dozen pipe bombs in their residence. These people are dedicated to destroying the West and instituting a caliphate. Do you really think that telling them that they can't buy an AR-15 is going to stop them from hurting people? Let me be clear: this is not a gun issue. This is a terrorism issue. To combine the two is a blatant attempt to capitalize on a tragedy that should be looked at with disdain. But you never know. It wasn't too long ago that Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to President Obama, would always remind his party to ``never let a good crisis go to waste.'' This isn't the first time though. Last week, while everyone was talking about the terrorist attack in California--and despite pleas from the Marine Corps to make exemptions to certain military occupational specialties--the Secretary of Defense made the historic, but unbelievably dangerous, decision to open all combat jobs to women. But if there is one thing the President loves to do, it is to ignore his senior military leadership. Many people believe that the emergence of ISIS is directly related to his premature withdrawal from Iraq, and I agree. These are just a few examples of the AWOL nature of this President. But in this case, AWOL stands for ``absent without leadership.'' What happened in Paris and here in California was a brutal reminder of just how dedicated our enemy is in fighting this war against us. Yet, the President only acknowledges it as a setback, similar to how he refused to acknowledge ISIS at all over a year ago. And when he finally did, he brushed it off, calling them the JV team. The night before the Paris attacks, he stated that ISIS had been contained. This President is either delusional or unbelievably misinformed. Either way, it does not inspire confidence for the next year of his Presidency. Now here we are. He was wrong then, and he is wrong now. Mr. Speaker, while the President held his annual holiday ball on Monday night, I held a tele-town hall with my constituents. When asked if they felt more safe or less safe under this administration's handling of our national security and foreign affairs, 92 percent of my constituents said they felt less safe, and 73 percent said that we should do anything in our power to destroy ISIS. I have got to say, this is a clear message that I think would resonate nationwide. Time and again, the President, our Commander in Chief, has proven to be oblivious to the real threat that ISIS poses to our national security. He said that what we are doing is working, when it is clearly not. Folks, we are under attack, and we cannot be afraid to call it what it is: This enemy is radical Muslim extremism. The American people don't feel safe under this President's failed policies. The time has come to change course in this new war against ISIS, secure our borders, halt the Syrian refugee program, and start listening to the American people.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Georgia for engaging in this debate. I know it sometimes seems to be a lonely job, especially when you are right, you are correct, and you are putting the best interests of the American people ahead of partisan politics. So I applaud you, and I applaud all my colleagues who are going to support this underlying rule and move on to support the final bill. I heard a comment while I was following the debate, and someone said that Speaker Ryan has reneged on his promises. Mr. Speaker, if anybody has reneged on their promises, I believe it is the President of the United States of America. As Commander in Chief, he has the ultimate responsibility to lead our troops. But also his number one constitutional responsibility is the common defense of this Nation against all enemies, both domestic and foreign. But he has made America weaker. He has made our military weaker. The international community, our friends, no longer trust us, and our enemies no longer fear us. So if anybody has reneged on their responsibilities, it is the President of the United States. Just now, Mr. Speaker, we started to basically really try to cut off the flow of money to ISIS and to the Islamic radicals. For over 2 years, we have been telling them to go after the oil revenues. That is where they are making their money. They are making it because they are smuggling oil out of the country and selling it on the black market, and they are making billions of dollars a year. Just now, we decide, well, we are going to go after the oil tankers that carry the oil so they can make the money, so they can buy weapons, and then they can basically export terrorism all around the world. Twenty-five years ago, I remember pretty much this month I was activated for the Persian Gulf War. One thing I do remember is we bombed the hell out of our enemies before we sent our men and women in uniform with boots on the ground in there. And pretty much, as we all know, within a week, the Iraq war was over with. So, Mr. Speaker, it baffles the mind why we are waiting for the last moment to actually cut off the revenues that are funding this global jihad and this radical Islam. But, like my colleague from Georgia and those who are going to support this rule and support the bill, we understand our constitutional responsibilities. Our number one responsibility is the common defense of this Nation at home and abroad. That means taking care of people in our congressional districts, taking care of people in our State, and taking care of the American people. So you are either with us or against us on this. I just want to urge my colleagues to support the underlying rule, support the bill, and let's start taking care of Americans, and the rest will take care of itself.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from South Carolina for the time. Mr. Speaker, we are under attack. Across the globe and here at home, we are being targeted. We are at war. The enemy has brought war to us. And make no mistake about it, this enemy is radical Muslim extremism. Last week in Paris, we saw a brutal reminder of just how dedicated our enemy is in fighting this war against us. We must fight back, and we must do more. The United States of America must do more. The President of the United States, on the very day ISIS attacked Paris, argued that ISIS had been contained. He was wrong. Last year, the President called ISIS the JV team. He was wrong. The President has been wrong on ISIS from the very beginning, and he is wrong now. Where is the strategy? Where is the willpower? Where is the leadership? Two years ago, Secretary of State John Kerry testified in front of the House Armed Services Committee about the need to arm Syrian rebels. I questioned this decision because we had no way of vetting these rebels. I told Secretary Kerry at the time: ``America is just not buying what you are selling.'' Two years later, the administration has shut down the arming of Syrian rebels because it was completely ineffective. Now, the administration wants to bring in 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States, refugees who even the Director of the FBI says cannot be fully vetted. We cannot allow this to happen Mr. Speaker, today we are going to pass a strong piece of legislation to protect the American people. The SAFE Act will ensure the highest level of scrutiny is placed on every single Syrian refugee and effectively stop this program until we can ensure Americans are protected. I believe we should do more, but this is a powerful first step to stopping dangerous terrorists from reaching our soil. The President, our Commander in Chief, the one person charged with protecting the U.S. homeland above all others has threatened to veto this bill. I dare him. I dare the President to veto this bill because he is angrier at Republicans than he is terrorists. I dare him to veto this bill because he thinks his strategy is working, despite the devastation in Paris. I dare the President of the United States to tell the citizens of the United States that he is more concerned with Syrian refugees than the safety of the American people. I dare him.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my concern over recent events taking place in my home State and around our Nation that tear at the fabric of our country's First Amendment right to freedom of religion. Time and again we have seen instances in which an individual's right to practice his or her faith has been subordinated to the sensibilities of individuals who do not share their faith in God. In Mississippi, we saw it in August when a high school band from Brandon, Mississippi, was forbidden from playing the hymn ``How Great Thou Art'' at a football game. We saw it in September in Lamar County as a teacher was ridiculed and disciplined for posting a voluntary prayer list in her classroom. Just last week, I, along with 45 other Members, joined Congressman Forbes and Senator Lankford in support of Coach Kennedy of Bremerton High School in Washington State. Coach Kennedy's 8-year tradition of walking to the 50 yard line after the conclusion of football games to say a quiet prayer was banned last month due to the school district's concern that his actions could be construed as an endorsement of religion. Recently we have even seen a Marine Corps base in Hawaii come under fire for having a road sign read, ``God bless the military, their families, and the citizens who work with them.'' Wow, even our United States Marines are attacked for exercising their faith. Mr. Speaker, opponents of religious freedom have been energized by recent decisions made by the United States Supreme Court as well as lower courts, both of which have placed the cultural views of a small group ahead of the thoughts, feelings, and rights of the vast majority of Americans. Judicial activism at all levels of the Federal judiciary has resulted in the systematic rewriting of centuries-old societal norms, and this must end. Time and again our courts have waded into waters which the Constitution specifically vests in the legislative branch. What is at stake here is nothing less than the future of our country's religious liberties, the religious liberties upon which our very Nation was founded. Those who have would have God completely removed from public discourse--be it marriage, health care, or the right of schoolchildren to pray or play religious music during football game halftimes are pleased with the first part of the amendment: ``Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.'' However, they conveniently ignore the second part: ``or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'' This amendment was enacted by our framers to protect religion from government, not the reverse. Mr. Speaker, families are struggling to keep it together. Single- parent households are at an all-time high. Poverty, incarceration, teenage pregnancy, and drug usage are all around us. When and where prayer is needed the most, it is no longer allowed or is forbidden. How can we try to remove from the public sphere the one thing that holds us together, and that is our religion? We can no longer simply leave our religion at the church doors. It is our responsibility to live out our values and beliefs in our everyday lives. Edmund Burke said it best: ``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.'' I support the free expression of religion in all quarters of our society, and I stand with Coach Kennedy, the band from Brandon, the teacher in Lamar County, and every other American who has been stripped of their religious freedoms. I am committed to protecting our right to express our faith without fear of governmental intrusion or retaliation, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. With that, Mr. Speaker, God bless America.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, today, in honor of the 240th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, I would like to offer the official Marine Corps Hymn in tribute to the brave men and women who serve as Marines at home and abroad. ``From the halls of Montezuma To the Shores of Tripoli; We fight our country's battles In the air, on land and sea; First to fight for right and freedom And to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title Of United States Marine. ``Our flag's unfurled to every breeze From dawn to setting sun; We have fought in ev'ry clime and place Where we could take a gun; In the snow of far-off Northern lands And in sunny tropic scenes; You will find us always on the job-- The United States Marines. ``Here's health to you and to our Corps Which we are proud to serve; In many a strife we've fought for life And never lost our nerve; If the Army and the Navy Ever look on Heaven's scenes; They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines.'' From one Marine to another, happy birthday and Semper Fi.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, last week the President once again disappointed the American people while only seeking to advance his own political agenda. Despite only vetoing four bills in 7 years, the President took the extraordinary measure of vetoing a bill vital to keeping Americans safe. The annual National Defense Authorization ensures our troops have the tools and training they need to destroy our enemies and to return to their loved ones back at home. This bill has been passed for 53 consecutive years, yet this President saw fit to veto it, putting campaign promises above our military and the American people. Mr. Speaker, the world is not becoming a safer place. In fact, it is becoming much more dangerous. China is building military islands in the South China Sea. The Russians are destabilizing Europe. Foreign fighters are flooding to ISIS by the thousands. Iran is on the path to having a nuclear weapon. Yet this President is more concerned about liberal politics than he is about the safety of our Nation. As a veteran, I find it disgraceful.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Albert truly exemplifies dedicated, selfless service in having fought in World War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war. I first met Mr. Albert during the Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight, which brings World War II veterans to Washington to see their memorial. Last month I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Albert at the Victory over Japan Day anniversary ceremony in Hawaii. Here I learned that Art was serving as a machinist mate aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, where he witnessed the Japanese formally surrender to the United States, ending World War II. Although he would disagree, like so many of his contemporaries who focus not on their service, but on the greatness of our Nation as a whole, Art is a true American hero. Through his service and his quiet work of building our great Nation at home, he has brought honor to himself, the State of Mississippi, and the United States of America. I am honored to have him as a constituent and to have the opportunity to know him both as a person and as an enduring example of the values that have made America great. John Rounsaville

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage, sacrifice, and service of members of the Greatest Generation from my district: Navy veteran Art Albert from Hattiesburg and Mr. John Rounsaville of Jones County, Mississippi. Art Albert

Mr. PALAZZO. Last month another of my constituents, John Rounsaville, celebrated his 90th birthday. Beginning in October of 1943, Mr. Rounsaville served for 28 months in the Pacific Theater of operations. He served aboard an LCI Gunboat that was assigned to the Pacific Theater and participated in numerous campaigns, earning his unit an impressive six battle stars for World War II service, including the Navy Unit Commendation Award. Although it has been over 70 years since his time in the Pacific, Mr. Rounsaville remembers his entire tour and speaks of it often. Like the American flag that has been proudly planted in his front yard for decades, I take great pride in representing World War II veterans like Mr. Rounsaville, who belong to a generation whose sacrifices preserved our freedom and liberated the world from tyranny and oppression. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking John Rounsaville and Art Albert for their courage and bravery and their service to this great Nation; and I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to both of these great Americans, their families, and to congratulate them on their dedicated service to the United States of America.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. I thank the gentleman from Texas, the entire Dyslexia Caucus, and also the comments from many of my colleagues tonight. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the READ Act. Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities in the United States, affecting an estimated 8.5 million schoolchildren and one in six Americans in some form. Despite these statistics, millions of children go undiagnosed and millions more do not receive proper educational assistance. The READ Act addresses this problem by requiring the National Science Foundation to fund research that promotes greater awareness of how to identify students with dyslexia and how to tailor a curriculum to better fit their needs. The READ Act also aims to put more resources in the hands of parents, teachers, and students. As an original cosponsor of this bill, a member of the bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus, and as a parent who has seen firsthand the challenges facing today's dyslexic students, I firmly believe that research focused on practical applications is needed to not only help understand dyslexia, but also to afford students an education that enables them to succeed in the classroom and reach their full potential. The READ Act provides an opportunity for a brighter and more productive future for millions of Americans. For these reasons, I fully support the READ Act and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, the American people are sick and tired of talk. They want action. For 3 years now, Senate Democrats have blocked votes on bills important to all Americans. They have blindly supported the President's failed policies and have shielded him from having to defend his policies to the American people. House Republicans have heard the American cry for help. We fought to repeat ObamaCare. We fought to stop the reckless Iranian nuclear agreement. Once again, we are fighting to defend the defenseless. We have passed budgets that will reduce our national debt, stop job- killing regulations, provide for our national defense, and get Americans working again. Republicans control Congress. We have better solutions to the problems that face our Nation. It is time for the President to go on record for his opposition to commonsense solutions that put America first. This can only happen if the Senate employs the nuclear option. It is time to change the Senate rules and force this President and the Senate to work for the American people instead of against them.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my opposition to any and all attempts to remove the State flag of Mississippi from the Capitol grounds. Simply put, the flag that flies over the State of Mississippi is an issue to be decided by the people of Mississippi. This is not an issue for Congress. Congress cannot decide which flag flies over the Capitol of Mississippi. Congress cannot decide which state flags hang in the Capitol of the United States. Congress cannot simply decide for the people of Mississippi. Our flag is not an issue for the media, not an issue for one party or the other, not an issue for outsiders who wish to force certain beliefs on others. Our flag is an issue for the people of Mississippi and the people of Mississippi alone.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working closely with you on this important issue. I can tell you I know where the finest warships are built by the finest craftsmen, that is right there in Mississippi's Fourth Congressional District. I look forward to continuing to work with you on this important issue.

Mr. PALAZZO. Chairman Frelinghuysen, I would like to thank you and your staff for all your hard work in crafting this Defense Appropriations bill. As a marine veteran, a current member of the Mississippi National Guard, and a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I fully understand the importance of this legislation. Mr. Chairman, as you well know, the United States Navy and Marine Corps are the Nation's forward-deployed, fast-response force in times of crisis. The ability to respond to all types of conflict, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, is what separates the United States Navy and the Marine Corps team from the rest of the world. However, as a result of declining resources, the Navy has struggled to reach its own stated goal of 306 ships. A not-insignificant portion of this fleet consists of amphibious ships to support the requirements of the Marine Corps. The current number of amphibious ships in the fleet does not meet validated national requirements to accomplish the tasks the Marine Corps is responsible to carry out in time of war or national emergency; this is the very Marine Corps that is tasked to be the most ready when our Nation is the least ready. I know this issue also concerns you, and I request your thoughts on how we might get our Navy shipbuilding program back on track.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Homes on the occasion of their 150th anniversary. This milestone marks the continued commitment to service that the O'Keefe family has provided the citizens of the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the past century and a half. In 1865, Irish immigrant Edward ``Ned'' O'Keefe established his livery service in Ocean Springs. Ned O'Keefe's funeral business soon expanded to Biloxi and other Coast cities as its ownership and management was passed down to succeeding generations of O'Keefe family members. He would certainly be proud of the success and growth of his family business. Today, with locations all along the Mississippi Gulf, the O'Keefe family compassionately serves their neighbors, friends, and family during life's most difficult times. The O'Keefe family distinguishes itself outside the family business in a broad array of community involvement, public service, and philanthropy. This is evident by family patriarch, World War II fighter pilot ``Ace,'' State Legislator, and Biloxi Mayor Jeremiah ``Jerry'' O'Keefe's service to his state and country. The O'Keefe family is also blessed with a dedicated and professional staff that combined has hundreds of years of experience. Like the family, they are committed to faithfully serving their community. Once again, I would like to thank the O'Keefe Family for their 150 years of dedicated service to the citizens of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Patrick Madden as a member of the United States Air Force Academy Class of 2015. Patrick will graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 28, 2015. His career in the service has just begun, but it is a testament to Patrick's unselfish devotion to the people of this great nation. The challenges will be many and the time, although it may seem like an eternity, will fly by almost unnoticed. The challenge for this young man will be to retain as much as possible, pass on what he learns to others, and live life for every moment. South Mississippi is proud of Patrick and his accomplishments, and we look forward to him continuing to represent not only Mississippi, but the entire nation, as a United States Air Force officer. As Patrick embarks on a new chapter in life, it is my hope that he may always recall with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment graduating from a program as prestigious as the Air Force Academy. I would like to send Patrick my best wishes for continued success in his future endeavors, thank him for his service, and congratulate him on this momentous occasion.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Ms. Savannah Stafford as a member of the United States Naval Academy Class of 2015. Savannah graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Oceanography, and her service assignment is Surface Warfare. She received a commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy on May 22, 2015. Her career in the service has just begun, but it is a testament to Savannah's unselfish devotion to the people of this great nation. The challenges will be many and the time, although it may seem like an eternity, will fly by almost unnoticed. The challenge for this young woman will be to retain as much as possible, pass on what she learns to others, and live life for every moment. South Mississippi is proud of Savannah and her accomplishments, and we look forward to her continuing to represent not only Mississippi, but the entire nation, as a United States Navy officer. As Savannah embarks on a new chapter in life, it is my hope that she may always recall with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment graduating from a program as prestigious as the Naval Academy. I would like to send Savannah my best wishes for continued success in her future endeavors, thank her for her service, and congratulate her on this momentous occasion.