Hal Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this amendments en bloc contains several measures that could have enjoyed broad support. Unfortunately, it also includes several amendments that some on our side are unable to accept. One is by the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), which would transfer funds from foreign military financing to the development assistance account. At a time when the United States is facing serious national security challenges around the globe, including from China and Russia, we should be increasing U.S. security assistance rather than holding it flat or, worse yet, reducing it to increase an account that this bill already increases by 15 percent. We simply face too many challenges to be cutting national security funding at this time. Madam Speaker, finally, I also need to mention the self-executing manager's amendment offered by our distinguished subcommittee chair relating to the expansion of global currency reserves by the International Monetary Fund. This amendment would require the Secretary of the Treasury to support the issuance of an additional $2.1 trillion of special drawing rights, an IMF reserve asset, to all member countries of the fund. This is in addition to a whopping $650 billion that was already issued earlier this year. This is a highly controversial proposal that appears to run counter to other administration policies, including claims of prioritizing efforts to counter the maligned influence of Russia and China. This plan could result in many billions in additional reserves being sent to the world's most notorious dictatorships and state sponsors of terror, such as Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and China. Not only does this unwise scheme go against the stated goals and objectives of the White House, but it also could hinder Treasury's efforts to penalize and pressure these malign state actors through extensive U.S. sanction regimes. Why go to all the trouble of putting in place and enforcing these sanctions when this proposal for the IMF to issue trillions in additional liquidity could significantly undercut years of pressure carefully designed to advance our national interest? Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendments en bloc, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the amendments en bloc. Madam Speaker, the amendments en bloc before us includes seven amendments that would significantly improve the quality of this bill. It includes an amendment that would prohibit funding to the U.N. Population Fund and strike funding for family planning and reproductive health. I am gravely concerned about the longstanding pro-life provisions that were stripped from the bill this fiscal year, all of them. Allowing the bill to proceed without protections for the unborn, like those in this amendment, is unprecedented and a direct hit to the sanctity of life around the world. Also included in this en bloc is an amendment that would prohibit contributions to various climate organizations, such as the Green Climate Fund. The underlying bill provides over $3 billion for climate change programs, including nearly $2 billion for ill-advised contributions to international climate funds. At a time when American families continue to struggle to make ends meet and foreign aid is under great scrutiny, proposing such politically motivated misuses of taxpayer funding adds insult to injury. The en bloc also includes an amendment that would prohibit funds for U.S. membership and/or contributions to the World Health Organization. The underlying bill, as currently written, includes no reforms of the WHO, even though they are complicit in covering up the COVID-19 pandemic. Without necessary safeguards in place to improve WHO transparency, American taxpayer funds should not be used for this organization. Similarly, the amendments en bloc includes a proposal to reduce funding for the Contributions to International Organizations account. The base bill includes an increase for international organizations, but without conditions or requirements for reform, this is simply too much funding. The amendments included in this amendment give the bill a far greater chance of being signed into law. It includes longstanding pro-life provisions that enjoy support from the majority of the American public and commonsense safeguards to ensure taxpayer dollars are used in the most efficient manner. Madam Speaker, I urge support for the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I urge support of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I claim time in support of the amendments, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendments en bloc contains a number of good proposals by both sides of the aisle. I want to highlight just a few. It includes language offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch) to increase funding for the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. This will help ensure that this office has resources we need to ensure that U.S. citizens unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad receive priority attention from our government. It also includes a provision supported by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany) that is in support of our close friend and partner Taiwan. At a time when the Chinese Communist Party has Taiwan in its crosshairs, we need to do all we can to support our democratic friends on that island. I, therefore, urge Members to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I urge a rejection of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the Republican whip.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Walorski).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition to the bill. At the outset, though, I want to congratulate our subcommittee chair on shepherding her very first bill to the House floor. The bill before us provides $62.2 billion for the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. That is a 12 percent increase, Mr. Speaker, over the fiscal year 2021 enacted level. The bill provides important funding for our national security, including $3.3 billion for Israel. The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the looming shadow of Hezbollah and Iran, remind us all of the threats Israel faces to its security every day. The fighting in Gaza stopped when it did, in part, due to the diplomatic efforts of Egypt. As Secretary of State Blinken told the committee, Egypt was vital to helping arrange the cease-fire and remains an essential partner for the United States in the region-- Egypt. While the bill maintains funding for Egypt at the current level, I strongly disagree with the additional conditions that this bill places on Egypt. The bill continues critical funding for Jordan, supports countries facing Russian aggression, and provides resources to meet our commitments in the Indo-Pacific, including $300 million for the Countering Chinese Influence Fund. The bill provides funding for Colombia, our good ally and friend, at last year's level. This is a critical moment for that country, and we should be doing all we can to support them. However, I regret that new conditions that this bill places could undermine our counternarcotics efforts, which are critical in Colombia. Our programs there are in our own self-interest, especially given the amount of cocaine that still floods American streets and causes so much destruction in our communities back home. Another drug problem sowing chaos back home is the opioid epidemic. The bill includes new language that directs the State Department to expand their current efforts to tackle the opioid crisis and better address this terrible problem. Mr. Speaker, I wish I could stop there and say this is a good bill. Unfortunately, the spending increases outside of these critical areas are just too great, and the policy riders are too extreme. First and foremost are changes made to the longstanding measures that protect the sanctity of life. These are commonsense provisions that have enjoyed bipartisan support for decades. Of greatest concern is the removal of the most important condition in any State-Foreign Operations bill, that no funds can be used to pay for abortion. The removal of that language is unprecedented, but it doesn't stop there. The bill also includes a permanent prohibition of the Mexico City policy, weakens the Kemp-Kasten restrictions on coercive abortion, and increases funding to the U.N., among many other controversial changes. Another tough pill for the American taxpayer to swallow is the more than $3 billion included in this bill for environmental programs that bring a high potential for duplication, wasteful complexity, and substantial oversight challenges. The bill also increases funding for the United Nations and other international organizations while ignoring the need for long-overdue and desperately needed reforms. The absence of conditions on the World Health Organization is particularly concerning, given what we all know about their complicity in covering up the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite some areas of agreement, the unrestrained spending and unprecedented partisan riders require that I oppose this legislation. I, therefore, urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to pay tribute to the memory of that longtime friend of ours and colleague on the Appropriations Committee, which he chaired, former Congressman Jerry Lewis from California, who passed away July 15, 2021. After working in the insurance industry and serving in the California State Assembly, Jerry was first elected to Congress 2 years before me, in 1978, and served his southern California district honorably until his retirement in 2013. Serving together on the Appropriations Committee for 30 years, Jerry and I became friends due to our respect and admiration for this body, the committee itself, and our singular focus on doing all we could to serve our constituents back home in our respective districts. Jerry was a true believer in our committee, its wielding the power of the purse, and ensuring that we were spending taxpayers' hard-earned tax dollars wisely. He also prided himself in his ability to steer Federal funding to his district, including funding for critical, lifesaving flood control projects, important cancer research, protecting his southern California district from wildfires, and much, much more. Jerry believed that one of the jobs of being a Federal Congressman was to be sure that his constituents' voices would be heard here on whatever problem they may be having and that we should spend Federal tax dollars fairly on those projects and matters. Jerry and I actually found ourselves in direct competition twice, each vying for the gavel as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Though he won in 2004, I won in 2010. I succeeded him as chairman. But we never let those races affect our friendship. It was never personal. Regardless of the outcome, we continued to work together for the betterment of the country and our constituents. I thank the gentleman from California for hosting this Special Order, a fellow member of the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Calvert, especially because of the fact that he is the ranking Republican on the Defense Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, a key slot, fulfilling, I think, the thoughts from Jerry Lewis himself, that this gentleman from California has a great future in this body. He is living up to it. I also want to send my thoughts and prayers as well to Jerry's bride, Arlene, and the rest of Chairman Lewis' family as they go through this very difficult time. There have not been many Members of this body that were as motivated with good thoughts than Jerry Lewis. He was a gentleman. He was a forthright spokesman for his district in California. He was a patriot who believed in a strong U.S. defense and helped to achieve it. We will not see the likes of this man, I think, again in this body. He was super and superior. I consider his friendship as one of the golden jewels that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Godspeed, Jerry Lewis. Our thoughts are with you.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to the memory of one of my closest friends, former Congressman H.L. ``Sonny'' Callahan, the gentleman from the great state of Alabama, who peacefully passed away on June 25, 2021. Sonny and I became quick friends upon his arrival to Washington in 1985. His humor and zeal for practical jokes were as endearing on Capitol Hill as his ability to forge alliances across the aisle to create effective policy and legislation for the American people. As colleagues on the Appropriations Committee, Sonny and I traveled the world together, meeting with leaders from Singapore to Argentina to Israel and many nations in between. His gregarious nature was as prevalent during those international meetings as it was at home in the heart of Alabama. Sonny extended genuine kindness and friendship to folks across all walks of life and never lost the staunch work ethic that helped him build a successful trucking business in Alabama. Before being elected to Congress as a registered Republican, Sonny dedicated 12 years to the Alabama state legislature, serving both chambers as a registered Democrat--proving he could get along with leaders of all political persuasions. I always had great admiration for the fact that Sonny was a Navy Veteran of the Korean War. There was no one he fought harder for in Washington than our veterans and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces. He believed in building a stronger national defense, advocating for better care for our veterans, and reenforcing foreign aid for key allies in the Middle East, especially Israel. It is one of the greatest honors of my lifetime to have served alongside my friend Sonny for 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. As President Abraham Lincoln once wrote, ``the better part of one's life consists of his friendships.'' Sonny Callahan is one of the most beloved leaders of Alabama and Washington, D.C., and I will always consider him one of my closest friends. My wife Cynthia and I extend our deepest heartfelt sympathy to the Callahan family and the great wealth of friends he made across the country, and indeed around the globe.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Sherry McDavid, a regional development champion in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, upon her retirement after 27 years of service as Executive Director of the FIVCO Area Development District in rural, northeastern Kentucky. Sherry's love for northeastern Kentucky has been evident in her tireless dedication and adamant advocacy to strengthen communities in Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Greenup and Lawrence counties for nearly four decades through her leadership at the FIVCO ADD and the FIVCO Service Agency. In addition to being a staunch advocate for economic development and infrastructure enhancement in Kentucky's Appalachian region, Sherry has been an organizational powerhouse, cultivating unlikely partnerships and rallying volunteers from across county-lines to meet the needs of our people. Whether distributing food commodities, caring for our elderly residents, or extending water and sewer service in our communities, Sherry filled the gap on many occasions and was the glue that held multiple programs together across the local, state, and federal levels. Sherry is the type of leader that accepts every challenge and surpasses every expectation for the good of the people around her. When we examine the growth and progress in the FIVCO region over the last 38 years, we can see the influence of Sherry's astute business sense and her unmatched work ethic. Although she is retiring, Sherry should be proud of the firm foundation that she has laid for the next generation to build upon. She has made a resounding difference in our part of Kentucky. In closing, I want to express my deep appreciation for Sherry's service to the people of northeastern Kentucky, her leadership and her assistance for our local leaders in the FIVCO region. It has been an honor to work alongside such an inspiring advocate for our communities. I wish Sherry and her family tremendous joy and blessings in the years to come.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the memory of my beloved friend, Bill Mardis, who was the long-time editor of the Commonwealth Journal in Somerset, Kentucky. Though small in stature, Bill Mardis was a journalism giant in Somerset, wielding a mighty pen, a humble approach and a steel-trap mind. We first became friends in the 1970s, with shared roots in radio broadcasting and a zeal for history and politics. Our friendship never swayed Bill from asking tough questions and writing an occasional hard- hitting piece; still yet we maintained a mutual respect for one another at all times. He was a dearly loved, iconic member of the Lake Cumberland region and his life's work kept all of us more informed. If a story had heart and soul, it was undoubtedly penned by Mardis. His signature ``Humble Reporter'' satire series also provided much-needed comic relief to the serious nature of the daily news covering the rest of the pages. In person, Bill also brought a unique and jovial interview style to every situation, while remaining fair, straight- forward and balanced through-out his career spanning nearly six decades. Bill was known for his stellar work ethic, often putting in 12-hour work days to publish an accurate, reputable newspaper. In recent years, our interviews would occasionally linger an hour or more as we drifted off topic and reminisced about our mutual friends and mentors who were instrumental to the growth and progress in southern Kentucky, from the late U.S. Sen. John Sherman Cooper to the late Pulaski Circuit Judge Roscoe Tartar, and others. He kept a tight grip on the political pulse of the Lake Cumberland region, cultivating a trusted network of friends across party lines, lending to his rich, in-depth reporting. May his legacy of balanced and fair journalism live on at the Commonwealth Journal where he dedicated nearly 60 years with the utmost integrity. My wife Cynthia and I send our heartfelt condolences to Bill's family, his coworkers at the newspaper, and his expansive community of friends. In the words of our satirical Humble Reporter, ``I ain't never seed nothin' lak hit'' and I don't suspect we ever will again.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, but I want to first congratulate our committee's chair and ranking member for their great work on putting together this enormous and enormously important bill. First, I want to say how rare this day really is in another way. It is the first time that we have had a ranking member who is a female, Ms. Granger, and the first female chairman of the committee, Nita Lowey. We will miss her enormously on this committee and in the Chamber. This bill is enormous. It is not perfect, but it reflects a fair compromise that includes funding for many important priorities at home and abroad and vital assistance for all those negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. As ranking member of the Committee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, I want to tell you, this bill provides critical funding for our national security. This includes $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Israel and robust support to combat transnational crime and the flow of illegal drugs. The bill is also tough on China, as it commits serious resources behind our Indo-Pacific strategy. This includes exposing the censorship and propaganda wielded by the Chinese Communist Party and countering Beijing's debt-trap diplomacy through well-funded, open, and transparent U.S. development by the Development Finance Corporation and the Countering Chinese Influence Fund. This bill also protects our core values. It maintains all pro-life protections from last year and rejects efforts to undo the President's historic policies that protect the sanctity of life. This bill is also great for my district in Kentucky, if I can be parochial. It provides the resources we need to continue to fight the opioid epidemic, which is now more important than ever. It fully funds my AML pilot program, which is truly breathing life back into my southern and eastern Kentucky communities. It helps our small businesses and so many Kentuckians who are fighting tooth and nail to survive the coronavirus pandemic. This package does not have everything that we wanted, but it is a good bill, and I think a fair compromise. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues' support. Mr. Speaker, I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on December 16, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 244.