Hal Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5979, the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument Act, legislation that I introduced that directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument as a unit of the National Park System. On January 19, 1862, the small Kentucky town of Logan's Cross Roads erupted in a blast of artillery and musket fire as Confederate and Union forces clashed in the Battle of Mill Springs. When the smoke cleared, it was clear that the Union was victorious and had secured its first significant victory in the Civil War. To honor the site, the Mill Springs Battlefield in Pulaski and Wayne Counties in Kentucky was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark district in 1994. Realizing the need to preserve and protect the battlefield for the future, the Mill Springs Battlefield Association was founded in 1992. That association currently owns more than 900 acres of the battlefield that they have pieced together over the years with their own money and grant money from various sources. They even built a $1.7 million, 10,000- square-foot visitor center and museum at the site, which is adjacent to the Mill Springs National Cemetery, which, of course, was started by the deaths from this battle. Mr. Speaker, while the association is currently doing an exemplary job in maintaining the battlefield, it simply does not have the financial resources to adequately preserve and maintain this site in perpetuity. To ensure that the Mill Springs Battlefield is protected for future generations, I introduced this legislation to add the battlefield to the National Park System. This will ensure that the battlefield where the Union first tasted victory is protected, preserved, and promoted well into the future. Mr. Speaker, this effort is supported by the Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, as well as the National Park Service. It is also supported by many in Kentucky, including our Governor, our friends in our congressional delegation, and countless local and regional leaders. It is also supported by the Battlefield Association which is willing to donate their property, some 900 of the acres, to make this national monument a reality. I am particularly grateful to Chairman McClintock, Chairman Bishop, and their staff who worked closely with us to bring this bill to the floor. I can't thank the chairman enough for the great work that he does. I would also like to specifically thank my friend and colleague, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is ushering companion legislation through the Senate. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the men and women of the Mill Springs Battlefield Association. Without their decades of work to piece together and preserve this important site, none of this would be possible today. They stage an annual reenactment of this battle which is realistic to the nth degree, and I would invite everyone to attend the annual reunion of this battle in January of next year. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of the Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument Act.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend and trusted spiritual advisor, Dr. Robert ``Bob'' Browning, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Frankfort, Kentucky, upon his retirement after dedicating his life to nearly 50 years of faithful ministry. My bride, Cynthia, and I were honored to have Dr. Browning officiate our wedding in 1999. He blessed the beginning of our marriage with an eloquent ceremony about the unmatched value of love, devotion and thanksgiving. We have held his words close to our hearts each day and uphold Dr. Browning with the highest esteem. He was also my beloved Pastor at the Somerset First Baptist Church, where he served our community for 16 years. Dr. Browning shared the Word of God with great boldness, discipling young Christians and shepherding his flock with enduring wisdom. I have always been inspired by his passion to serve and share the Gospel of Jesus. Just as the Bible instructs us to do, Dr. Browning has cared for the widows and the poor, visited the sick, mourned with the broken-hearted, and rejoiced with those in times of celebration. Dr. Browning was licensed and ordained to the Gospel Ministry by the First Baptist Church of Greenville after diligently studying at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. While most of his ministry was dedicated in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, he also ministered in Atlanta, Georgia for 13 years. From 1994 to 1995, he served as President of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. As noted in his biography, ``Dr. Browning is proud of his Baptist heritage and works with other Baptists through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to spread the Gospel, build bridges of goodwill and understanding among all people, promote the cause of justice and meet the needs of those who are struggling.'' He and his wife, Jackie, have been a tremendous blessing to families and individuals across Kentucky, and I extend my deepest gratitude for their friendship and counsel over the years. As they enter into retirement, Cynthia and I pray the years ahead are filled with exceeding peace and joy along with their three children and five grandchildren.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, all of us are painfully aware of the devastating toll taken by opioid addiction and abuse in every corner of this great country. While this epidemic is truly national in its scope today, it actually began in the small communities in Appalachia over a decade ago. Our hills were flooded with painkillers, our hospitals flooded with patients, our churches flooded with helpless parents crying out for help. Our rural towns simply did not have the capacity to handle this monstrous problem. Today, given the unique challenges confronting Appalachia, the opioid-related overdose rate is 65 percent higher than in the rest of the Nation. Let me repeat that. In Appalachia, the opioid-related overdose rate is 65 percent higher than the rest of the country. But the people of Appalachia are resilient, and they are problem solvers. They have taken important strides to combat this problem holistically. Operation UNITE in my district, where it began, is a leading national example. UNITE, Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education, is a three-pronged, holistic approach to tackle this monster. I was really heartened and grateful when Chairman Barletta invited Operation UNITE's CEO, Nancy Hale, to testify before his subcommittee about the unique challenges UNITE confronts in southern and eastern Kentucky, and the creative solutions they have employed to beat back against this scourge. Today, I remain grateful for his leadership in shepherding H.R. 5294 through the House floor. This bill will bolster the Appalachian Regional Commission's role in combating the opioid epidemic. ARC has always been a valued partner in our fight, but this legislation clarifies that the commission can and should make targeted investments to reduce barriers to workforce development; attract and retain healthcare services, businesses, and workers; and develop relevant infrastructure, including broadband, which can be used for telemedicine treatment. These investments are critical for my district and the entire Appalachian region, and I urge other Members to support this bill. Let me thank, again, Chairman Barletta for his great leadership in this problem. He is a recognized expert, and he has proven he cares for the people that he represents and that the rest of us represent.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on becoming the longest serving Republican Senate Leader with a historic tenure of 11 years, 5 months and 10 days. My dear friend and colleague from Kentucky is a masterful political strategist with a once in a generation political mind, and it gives me great pride and happiness to recognize him on the achievement of this remarkable milestone. For decades, Leader McConnell has dedicated himself to the public service of the Nation, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the Republican Party. Guided by a deep-seeded conservatism, an unparalleled respect for our great Nation's Constitution and the institutions of our democracy, and the ever-relevant wisdom of our Founding Fathers, Leader McConnell has demonstrated unmatched political acumen and dynamic leadership. His instincts are second to none: he knows when to fight and he knows when to compromise. The Leader is calculated and tactical, with keen foresight, and he works harder than anyone in the U.S. Capitol building. As a result, he simply gets things done. While he has been at the helm of our great Party during times of celebration, prosperity and jubilance, the Senator has also never hesitated to step forward and lead the Party in times of turbulence and controversy. Through it all, he has seemed unflappable. Time after time, Senator McConnell has taken on a leadership role and worked tirelessly for the Republican Party by serving as our Party's Senate Whip, Minority Leader, and Majority Leader. While holding each of these positions, Senator McConnell has worked to unify and guide the Party in the right direction. In doing so, he has rightfully attained the confidence, respect, and admiration of his colleagues and garnered many great accomplishments in the process. As Senate Minority Leader, Senator McConnell held closely to his conservative values in spite of enormous pressure from an opposing Democratic Party in Congress and Presidential Administration. As the momentum in Congress began to turn, Senator McConnell once again stepped up to the challenge when his colleagues elected him as Senate Majority Leader. While holding this leadership position, he has achieved many successes, including the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and passage of the Senate's Tax Reform bill--both of which required a champion who was not afraid to be a target of criticism. Both victories serve as a testament to Leader McConnell's vision as one of the finest master strategists in the history of the U.S. Senate. Throughout Leader McConnell's tenure, he has also brought great esteem to our state and always remembered to prioritize our old Kentucky home. He has also continued to proudly represent our region since he was first elected as Senator in 1984. It has been a joy of mine to work alongside him on various bills and projects that have positively impacted Kentuckians. Together, we have worked to create jobs, support veterans, protect the coal industry, and sustain agriculture within Kentucky. I look forward to continuing our collaboration to further the prosperity of the people and communities of our beloved Southern and Eastern Kentucky. Once again, I would like to congratulate Leader McConnell for this major milestone in his career of public service. It has been a pleasure to serve alongside him in Congress and to observe these historic moments of success. I wish him many more years of continued good health, happiness, and success.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Walden for those words. This is a fight that is critical to the country, and I want to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Walden, and Mr. Pallone and the other members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for reporting out for consideration today this multipronged assault on this cruel epidemic that is ravaging the country. The committee has responded, and I thank Chairman Walden for all of these bills that are here with us today, especially the bill that we are debating now, and that is the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act. We have invested billions of dollars in treatment and recovery services. As the gentlewoman from Massachusetts has just said, only 10 percent of Americans with a disorder actually receive treatment; 90 percent go without treatment. That situation is even more dire in small communities. Far too often, when our rural constituents recognize their addiction, they are not able to find treatment or recovery services anywhere close to home or at all. Those who do enter the treatment profession often don't stay long due to the stress of the job. They don't work in areas most in need of their services, or they have difficulty repaying these sizeable student loans. If we want to maximize our downpayment for the future, these professionals are the key. H.R. 5102 creates a substantial student loan repayment benefit for a broad spectrum of medical professionals who enter this noble vocation. It also ensures that these individuals serve in areas most in need of their services for the long haul, offering periodic payments over 6 years. With these incentives in place, more of our constituents suffering from addiction will receive the quality treatment they so desperately need. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Clark for her genuine concern about the problem and her partnership, and also Dr. Burgess and his team for their guidance on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I again thank Chairman Walden for bringing this bill forward and all of the others that have been reported out today, and I thank Mr. Pallone and the rest of the committee for the great work that they are doing in a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Jo Marshall in recognition of her retirement after a lifetime of dedication as a highly esteemed post-secondary education administrator in Kentucky and Alabama, including her last 18 years of leadership as President of Somerset Community College (SCC) in Somerset, Kentucky. Dr. Marshall and her late husband, Dr. Scott Marshall, were a dynamic team with immense passion for post-secondary education, who worked tirelessly to improve access to college degrees and open new doors of opportunity for those most in need. In fact, when the Marshalls first arrived in Somerset, they surveyed the rural Lake Cumberland region and quickly realized the tremendous need for a scholarship fund to help our students pay for tuition. So, Dr. Marshall launched the SCC Foundation, which is a nearly one-million-dollar fund today, making college dreams come true for countless local students. Despite severe budget cuts and rising unemployment rates, Dr. Marshall guided SCC through some of its greatest successes. She expanded the local campus with several new state-of-the-art buildings, increased enrollment numbers to historic levels, developed key partnerships with four-year colleges and universities to streamline student transfers, and garnered a multitude of accolades for her personal leadership and SCC's achievements. Dr. Jo Marshall is an incredibly gracious and humble individual who leads with a steady hand and a heart of compassion. She has made a remarkable difference in our community and in the lives of countless students in Kentucky. Although she is retiring, Dr. Marshall has laid a foundation for future success and growth as SCC continues to serve our region. My wife, Cynthia, and I wish our dear friend, Dr. Marshall, many joyful years of retirement with her children and grandchildren.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I had a scheduling conflict, and was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 181; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 182;``yea'' on Roll Call No. 183; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 184; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 185; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 186; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 187; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 188; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 189; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 190; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 191; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 192; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 193; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 194; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 195; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 196; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 197; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 198; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 199; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 200; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 201; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 202; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 203; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 204; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 205; and ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 206.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, had a scheduling conflict, and was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 167; Yea on Roll Call No. 168; Yea on Roll Call No. 169; Yea on Roll Call No. 170; Yea on Roll Call No. 171; Yea on Roll Call No. 172; Yea on Roll Call No. 173; Yea on Roll Call No. 174; Yea on Roll Call No. 175; Nay on Roll Call No. 176; Yea on Roll Call No. 177; Nay on Roll Call No. 178; Yea on Roll Call No. 179 and Yea on Roll Call No. 180.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of Eastern Kentucky's greatest champions for economic development and infrastructure enhancement, my friend Gail Wright, who is retiring after nearly 30 years of dedication as Executive Director of the Gateway Area Development District. Gail was raised on a farm in rural Menifee County, Kentucky, where she learned the value of basic infrastructure, a frugal family life and hard work. She developed a deep passion for helping others while on the farm, which inspired her love for community development. Gail has been an overcomer from day one, including being first in her family to graduate from college and serving as one of the first female Executive Directors for an Area Development District in Kentucky. Most recently, about ten years ago, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor and a genetic defect in her heart that would ultimately test her strength and tenacity. Once again, she never slowed down, overcoming two major health issues back-to-back. She has utilized that same determination and courage of conviction to fuel her leadership for the Gateway Area, covering Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, and Rowan Counties. She has been an incredible force in the field of community and economic development; she knows the often-complex inner workings of grant funding and administration; she knows how to bring strategic partners together at the federal, state and local levels; and ultimately, she has a genuine love and understanding for the people, the culture, the talent and the heritage of Eastern Kentucky. As you look around the communities in the Gateway Area, her fingerprints are visible on countless projects from water and wastewater expansion, industrial parks, transportation enhancements, tourism growth, educational access and other revitalization activities. She has served as Chair of the Kentucky Area Development District's Executive Directors and has dedicated her time and resources to multiple boards in the region, across Kentucky and nationally. Most importantly, she has simultaneously devoted her life to her husband, Dean, with whom she has raised two wonderful sons, Abraham and Jordan. Gail has been a true jewel for Eastern Kentucky and we will do our best to continue the work she envisioned for the region we all love. As she enters retirement, my wife, Cynthia, and I wish Gail and her family immense joy and blessings in the years to come.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an American hero and one of Eastern Kentucky's bravest sons, U.S. Navy SEAL Richard Paul Melton, in celebration of his retirement from a valiant 20-year military career. As a member of the nation's elite Seal Team Six, Paul Melton has served as one of the United States' highly trained experts in warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism and national defense. Our Navy SEALs are the most highly esteemed warriors around the world, known for their unmatched success in covert special operations by sea, air and land, displaying incredible dedication to our country with every mission and unmatched willpower in enemy territory. Our nation owes this Navy SEAL and his family a great debt of gratitude for their combined sacrifice during his brave service over the last two decades. He has served five tours in Afghanistan, as well as tours in the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa and the greater Middle East. While we may never know the gravity of his classified missions and the imminent danger he faced in areas infiltrated with some of the world's most brutal terrorists, let us never fail to applaud and recognize his undying determination to defend our freedom and protect our allied nations. Senior Chief Petty Officer Paul Melton is decorated with some of the highest honors bestowed upon any member of the U.S. Armed Forces, including: five Bronze Star Medals with Combat V, a Purple Heart, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat V, a Combat Action Ribbon, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Presidential Unit Citations, a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, the Navy E Ribbon, six Navy Good Conduct Medals, a National Defense Medal, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, a Sea Service Deployment Medal, a Navy Rifle Expert Medal and a Navy Pistol Expert Medal. I count it an immense honor to celebrate this true American patriot upon his retirement from the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group--SEAL Team Six. The people of Leslie County and all of Kentucky are incredibly proud of our hometown hero, Richard Paul Melton.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, despite his laudable efforts to complete all fiscal year 2018 House bills on time, the perpetual stalemate on unrelated matters left us with this undesirable choice of several continuing resolutions. Piecemeal funding of government is universally harmful, but now we have a chance to get back on track and finalize funding for fiscal year 2018. Mr. Speaker, there is a reason why we have a rule against legislating on appropriations bills, and yet here we are. The only holdback that kept us from getting these bills done on time was the fact that a lot of people--some, even, in leadership--who want to load onto this must- pass bill legislation that is controversial. Yet our committee has to cope with an unsatisfactory arrangement. Protecting American interests around the globe through military readiness and diplomacy is not a luxury in this hostile environment. It is a responsibility. This bill provides the necessary resources to fulfill that responsibility. It upholds our commitments to key strategic partners and allies such as Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Ukraine. The bill also will assist other partners to fight terrorism, secure borders, resist aggression, and stabilize communities affected by conflict. We also uphold our longstanding commitment as Americans to help those displaced by conflict or natural disaster or who are facing famine. Today's bill will also fight back against the scourge of opioid abuse and help reignite the economy of coal country. Like Operation UNITE, in my Kentucky district, the Federal Government has taken a holistic approach to tackle the complex opioid problem. The agreement provides historic levels of funding for law enforcement, treatment, prevention, recovery, and research. Only when these elements all work in concert will we truly be able to turn the tide and save lives. In addition, after struggling under the war on coal, it is time to turn a new page in central Appalachia. This bill will give us more tools to strengthen economic development in that region. First, the agreement invests in cutting-edge technologies to ensure coal remains a significant part of our energy portfolio, both here at home and abroad. There is also continued support for the Abandoned Mine Land pilot program.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. This support for the AML pilot program allows us to clean up abandoned mines and repurpose them to create jobs. Finally, I am proud that this agreement includes legislation that I helped introduce, the STOP School Violence Act, which aims to curb the epidemic of violence in our schools. This is a significant step forward in our effort to protect our children from senseless tragedy. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, it is with great heaviness of heart that I and all of Kentucky mourn the tragic and untimely death of Officer Scotty Hamilton, a 12-year veteran of the Pikeville Police Department. Eastern Kentucky lost one of its bravest sons on March 13, 2018 when Officer Hamilton paid the ultimate sacrifice while valiantly serving and protecting the community he loved. Since joining the police force in 2006, Officer Hamilton served with immense integrity, earning the utmost respect of his colleagues and courageously giving his all to the City of Pikeville. In 2013, Officer Hamilton was honored as the Pikeville Police Department's very first Officer of the Year. It was an accolade he rightfully earned as one of the Police Chief's ``right hand men''--a dependable and exemplary officer. Outside of the police force, Scotty Hamilton loved living in the Appalachian Mountains and could often be found hunting and trail-riding with his family and friends. It was perhaps the great pride he had for his hometown that drove his desire to serve and protect the people who live there. In fact, he volunteered for numerous assignments and charity events to give back as much as he could. The value of our rural law enforcement professionals, like Officer Hamilton, is immeasurable. Holding to their core principles of duty and sacrifice with unwavering dedication, our police officers never fail to respond, regardless of the unknown dangers and threats that arise. I'm reminded of the true definition of love in John 15:13, ``Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'' What a legacy of love, bravery and sacrifice Officer Hamilton leaves to inspire our nation. My wife, Cynthia, and I extend our deepest heartfelt sympathies to Officer Hamilton's wife, daughter, parents and his extended family, including his brothers and sisters in blue at the Pikeville Police Department. Let us remember Officer Scotty Hamilton as a true American hero.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the memory of my Irish friend and one of Kentucky's best imports, Dr. Pearse Lyons. Dr. Lyons was born and raised across the pond in Ireland and the United Kingdom and immigrated to Kentucky over 40 years ago to launch his first major business, Alltech. He quickly became a Kentuckian at heart and developed an inspiring passion for rural Eastern Kentucky. In many ways, he would tell me, that Kentucky's Appalachian region reminded him of his homeplace in Ireland, where folks take great pride in their communities and their trades. In fact, he believed in Eastern Kentucky so much that he extended a branch from Alltech into Pikeville, Kentucky with a new distillery to create jobs and invest in our region. Today, Alltech is now a $3 million company that employs more than 5,000 people across 128 countries, and soon those numbers will include Eastern Kentucky. Dr. Lyons was the type of visionary that believed we could accomplish monumental things by telling the story of Eastern Kentucky with our own people leading the charge, with our own talents. His charisma and enthusiasm for life were contagious. He helped remind us of the unique treasures that we have in Eastern Kentucky and inspired us to share them on a broader spectrum. In addition to his business ingenuity, Dr. Lyons and his lovely wife, Deidre, shared their philanthropic spirit with the entire Commonwealth. In fact, Alltech was birthed as a way to help feed the world with locally farmed products. Thanks to his global leadership in agribusiness, Dr. Lyons played an essential role in attracting the World Equestrian Games to Kentucky in 2010 by building the state-of- the-art Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. Aside from the farm, Dr. Pearse and Deidre Lyons have shared immense generosity around the globe through disaster relief, improving access to education, and countless other worthy programs. I counted Dr. Lyons a dear friend who displayed genuine kindness and love for our state. I'm grateful that he planted seeds of hope in Kentucky, where we will see his dreams continue to flourish for years to come. My wife, Cynthia, and I extend our heartfelt sympathy to Deidre and the entire Lyons family.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the STOP School Violence Act. I want to congratulate Sheriff Rutherford, the original sponsor of the bill, for his dedicated work on this project, among others. In the immediate wake of last month's tragedy in Parkland, more than 15 students in my home district in eastern Kentucky were arrested. Thankfully, our students and local law enforcement acted swiftly to prevent a copycat event in our own schools. As our Nation battles this epidemic of school violence, it is imperative that we utilize our available resources to stop tragic events before they occur. But, unfortunately, too many students and officials don't have the tools they need to successfully act under similar situations. This bill takes necessary and commonsense steps to prevent school bullying, suicide, and violence, providing grant funding to States to implement proven and evidence-based trainings that detect threats before they come to fruition. In most cases of school suicides and shootings, at least one other person knew of the plan and failed to report it. So these appalling events are avoidable, but we must give our schools the tools and resources they need, and this bill would do just that. Enhancing early detection, prevention, and coordination with law enforcement will save lives. There may not be one single answer to preventing all future violence in schools, but this effort is very much a part of the solution. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I have the flu, and my doctor told me not to travel this week. Had I been present, I would have voted as followed: Yea on Roll Call No. 70, Yea on Roll Call No. 71, Yea on Roll Call No. 72, Yea on Roll Call No. 73, Yea on Roll Call No. 74, Yea on Roll Call No. 75, Nay on Roll Call No. 76, Yea on Roll Call No. 77, Yea on Roll Call No. 78, Nay on Roll Call No. 79, Yea on Roll Call No. 80.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this fiscal year 2018 DOD Appropriations bill. Although I am proud to support this critical legislation, I will say that I am disappointed to be here, yet again, speaking in support of the DOD Appropriations bill as we, again, seek its passage in the House. Despite Chairman Frelinghuysen's Herculean efforts to complete all 12 bills on time and passing several packages that included the Defense bill, the Senate refuses to act. We recently saw the effects of this when the government shutdown put great stress on the backs of our servicemembers and their families. Mr. Speaker, it is time that we push aside partisanship and do what is right for the country and for our national security by passing this bill. While it certainly represents the outcome of many hard choices, it prioritizes funding where our troops need it most. It wisely invests in readiness, training, maintenance, and procurement of new equipment and technology to ensure that our troops are prepared for the tasks before them. I am pleased that this bill takes care of our troops and their families at home by granting them a long-awaited 2.4 percent pay raise. Our Nation has been at war for nearly two decades, and our servicemembers have put their lives on the line to ensure that we can live our way of life. This raise represents just one small way for us to honor their service. Mr. Speaker, they say that the third time is the charm, and I hope this holds true here. After the House passes the bill, I urge the Senate to do so as well so that the President can sign this bill into law. According to the Constitution, it is the Congress' responsibility to provide for our common defense. This bill does just that. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. Here it is in a nutshell: Chairman Frelinghuysen saw to it that we passed all 12 of the appropriations bills and sent them to the Senate, where not a single one has been allowed to come to the floor because of Democratic Senators who profess they want to keep the government going but vote ``no.'' And because the Democrats in the Senate have barred the consideration of any of these bills, here we are. We have no choice but to vote for this bill if we want to keep the government open. It is the only game in town. And those on the other side who profess they want to keep the government going today will vote ``no.'' I don't understand that logic. Mr. Speaker, this is the only chance we have to keep the government operating to be sure that the American taxpayers' money is being spent properly and adequately, but for the purpose of keeping our government open. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and let's move on.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of the second fiscal year 2018 continuing resolution this year, which will fund the Federal Government through December 22 of this year. This bill is a necessary measure to continue vital government programs and services. It also prevents uncertainty and harm in a shutdown. This year, the committee worked at a historic pace to produce and then pass all 12 bills to fund the government. Chairman Frelinghuysen should be recognized for this feat of leadership. It is important that we eventually send these bills to the President's desk. As chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, I want to highlight that the funding provided in our bill supports continued leadership by the U.S. and advances our national security and economic interests. This funding is critical to addressing the many challenges that we face around the world. Mr. Speaker, while CRs are never our preferred course of action, the bill before us today will give us more time to complete our work with the Senate and put together a final bill that will support the American people. Our current continuing resolution expires tomorrow, so we must act today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the CR.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my long-time friend, Ralph Hacker, upon his induction into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame--Class of 2017. Ralph Hacker's voice was a colorful hallmark of the UK Radio Network for more than three decades, including three men's basketball national championships, seven Final Fours and four football bowl games. Before we could watch our beloved UK Wildcats play basketball on television, we used to ``watch them on the radio,'' as some would jokingly say--and it was the voice of Ralph Hacker that brought the game to life, as we envisioned every block, every dunk and every heroic play on the court. Still today, the Big Blue Nation is known to turn down the audio on the television to instead listen to familiar commentary on the radio as the game plays on. It's a testament to local broadcasters, like Ralph Hacker, who attended practices and spent unmatched time on and off the court with coaches and players to learn about the passion and drive that breeds championship teams. Today, the University of Kentucky is the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I Men's Basketball winningest program, and it was Ralph Hacker's voice that helped fans rejoice with every win and find solace in every defeat. Before becoming a voice for the Wildcats, Ralph and I first met at WVLK in Lexington as young disc jockeys, where we also worked with fellow broadcasters Jim Host and Claude Sullivan. While I detoured to UK Law School and eventually, the U.S. House of Representatives, all three of my friends had tremendous broadcasting careers, pioneering advancements in communications and business. Ralph later purchased and built a prominent radio network as president of HMH Broadcasting, earning the respect of broadcasters across the country. Aside from his broadcasting career, Ralph and his lovely wife Marilyn have generously opened up their hearts and their home to help raise support for a number of charities. Their joint philanthropic drive has made a profound impact on the lives of countless Kentucky families. Most recently, Ralph has adamantly lent his voice to raise awareness for cardiac health across the state. Mr. Speaker, the UK Athletics Hall of Fame is filled with incredibly talented men and women from my alma mater. I'm incredibly proud that my friend, Ralph Hacker, is rightfully being added to this prestigious list of legends after dedicating his voice to the broadcasting industry in Kentucky for more than a half century. However, among all his accomplishments, I know Ralph and Marilyn are most proud of their wonderful daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Danny Reilly, and especially their granddaughters, Collins and Gresham Jane.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the centennial birthday celebration of the City of Lynch on September 16, 2017, a remarkable milestone for a historic coal mining camp in Harlan County, Kentucky. Iinclude in the Record, an article published in the Lexington Herald Leader on February 24, 2017, which provides a detailed overview of our historic coal town in a story written by reporter Bill Estep entitled, It was the world's largest company coal town. As it turns 100, it fights to stay alive. In 1917, U.S. Steel purchased 19,000 acres of land in Harlan County at the base of Black Mountain, Kentucky's highest peak, to produce the coal needed to make steel during World War I. By the 1940s, Lynch, Kentucky was the ``largest company-owned coal town in the world,'' boasting unmatched water and sewer infrastructure in the area, a local hospital, schools, retail stores, recreational activities and a diverse workforce. While our storied coal town has suffered tremendous losses over the last century with the coal industry's decline, it hasn't terminated their pride for the City of Lynch. The citizens have honorably preserved the historic efforts of local workers and immigrants from more than 30 foreign countries who tirelessly worked miles underground, producing enough coal to power our nation for generations. Today, the City of Lynch is embracing its heritage and working to boost tourism to capture the historic treasures of this community that served as the epicenter of coal production 100 years ago. I applaud the local leaders and entrepreneurs who are reimagining the future of coal country and working to integrate this small, rural town into the digital economy. Mr. Speaker, our Appalachian heritage is uniquely defined by the sheer grit of the mountain people who are determined to not only survive, but thrive, in our small, rural American towns. I am proud to join the City of Lynch in celebrating its 100th birthday. [From Lexington Herald Leader, Feb. 24, 2017] It Was the World's Largest Company Coal Town. As It Turns 100, It Fights To Stay Alive (By Bill Estep) Lynch.--The valley along Looney Creek in Harlan County was a wooded wilderness in 1917 when U.S. Steel, hungry for coal to make steel during World War I, bought 19,000 acres and set about creating the largest company-owned coal town in the world. The company built an entire town from scratch--hundreds of houses, stores, schools, a hotel, a hospital, a baseball field, a fire station, water and power plants and industrial buildings, including a machine shop and the highest-capacity coal tipple anywhere. Despite the buzz of work and grand intentions, some thought the town would be a flash in the pan. The L&N Railroad refused to extend tracks to Lynch from Benham, a coal town about a mile away, because officials felt the town would die after the war when demand for steel went down, according to one history by a U.S. Steel official. The company built its own tracks, and Lynch survived. The town at the foot of Kentucky's highest peak, Black Mountain, turns 100 this year. In that century, Lynch has mirrored the history of Eastern Kentucky as coal jobs swung up and down and families moved out to find work during hard times. More than half the coal jobs in Eastern Kentucky have disappeared since a precipitous slide started in 2012. At the end of 2016, there were fewer miners on the job in all of Eastern Kentucky than there were at the U.S. Steel mines at Lynch at their peak. The town's population has declined to less than 800 from a peak of 10,000, and a third of the houses are vacant, according to U.S. Census figures. Now, like the rest of the region, Lynch is looking for a new way forward. Residents are trying to promote tourism and small businesses to create jobs, and a study about the possibility of merging with two nearby towns is underway. The challenges from an anemic economy and a declining tax base are steep, but many in Lynch have a fierce pride in the historic town and are determined to breathe new life into it. A committee of volunteers is working to schedule events each month to mark the anniversary. On Jan. 1, local churches rang their bells for 100 seconds, and in February, residents put up red ribbons around town. The big event will be in September, with plans for a car show, vendors, family games and performances by several bands. Residents also have set up a Facebook page where they are posting historic photos and trivia about the town's past. The hope is that the centennial will be a springboard for efforts to keep Lynch from withering away. ``The city was built by coal but it can be maintained by something else,'' said Rev. Ronnie Hampton, a retired mine inspector who was the town's first black mayor. ``As long as we've got breath, we won't give up.'' Coal companies built hundreds of towns in Southern Appalachia in the early 1900s. Many were thrown together with cookie-cutter houses, poor sanitation and few amenities. Lynch, however, was considered a model town, with better- built houses of varying styles; health care better than that available to most people in the region; recreation opportunities that included lighted tennis courts, the baseball field, a bowling alley and dances at the hotel ballroom; paved streets; a sewage system; and a company commissary that was reputed to be the best department store in Eastern Kentucky, according to historians. Italian immigrants used sandstone quarried from the nearby hills to build impressive public buildings. ``None of them rivaled Lynch,'' James B. Goode, a retired community college professor who grew up in the neighboring coal town of Benham and has studied the history of Lynch, said of other coal towns. The thought was that keeping miners content would enhance production and keep down problems. 'A lot of fun here' Lynch resident Irene Florek, who is 100, arrived in town with her family when she was a few months old. Her father had moved from a U.S. Steel coal town in West Virginia to work at the new Lynch mines. Florek lived near the baseball field and remembers frequent activities including games and parades. One local history recounts that the company would close off the street to the hotel when it snowed so kids could go sledding. ``It was a lot of fun here at that time,'' Florek said. The company history recounts milestones from Lynch's first 40 years, including a meningitis epidemic that hit the area in early 1936. U.S. Steel banned church services and public gatherings to try to limit the spread, and set up a temporary hospital. Six of the 100 Lynch residents who got sick died, but the death rate was 80 percent or more in nearby communities, according to the company history, which attributed the relatively few deaths in town to the good medical care from company doctors. In the Depression, people relied on gardens to help get by and the Red Cross gave out flour and other commodities, the history said. Lynch was a classic melting pot of white people from the region, black people from the South and immigrants of more than 30 nationalities. In 1921, nearly 60 percent of the outgoing mail was to Europe, according to one history. U.S. Steel recruited black workers from Alabama and other Southern states who were looking for better work than sharecropping, including some recruited from older mines in the Birmingham area. The company also had recruiters at Ellis Island who used ship manifests to identify European immigrants with mining experience that they could hire, Goode said. The first load of coal left Lynch in November 1917. By June of 1920, the Lynch mines employed 2,300 men and the population of the town had already reached 5,350, according to a company history. ``It was hustle and bustle here,'' said Mike O'Bradovich, a first generation American whose father came to Lynch from what became Yugoslavia and whose mother was from Germany. O'Bradovich followed his father into the mines, working from 1974 to 2002. The sense of pride many in Lynch felt was rooted in immigrants making their way in a new country, O'Bradovich said. ``The pride started when these people were coming over, becoming Americans,'' he said. Generations of black residents have maintained ties to Lynch through the Eastern Kentucky Social Club, which has chapters around the country and sponsors a Labor Day reunion each year, and through a homecoming to Lynch each Memorial Day. When a former city clerk was charged in 2009 with stealing $137,000 from the city, leaving it strapped, the city council appointed Hampton to steer the city through the crisis. Hampton sent letters to Eastern Kentucky Social Club members and former residents seeking help, which brought in thousands in donations. Lynch was segregated until the 1960s. Black and white employees worked together in the mines, but black miners could not move up to supervisory positions until winning a lawsuit in the 1970s, and schools and entertainment were segregated. There was racial violence directed at black residents in the Appalachian coalfields, especially in the early days, but there was a relatively high degree of harmony between the races at a personal level, historian Ron Eller wrote in his 1982 book ``Miners, Millhands and Mountaineers: Industrialization of the American South 1880-1930.'' Whites and blacks in the mines had to rely on each other for their safety, and there were not major differences in pay or living conditions for miners of different races, Eller said. When the schools integrated in the mid-1960s, U.S. Steel ``made it seamless,'' said Dwain Morrow, whose father, William Morrow, retired after working 40 years for the company. `Virtual reign of terror' Labor relations were another matter. Harlan County had some of the most widely reported labor clashes in the country between the world wars. Coal operators used control over the county's economy and politicians to beat back organizing efforts, evicting union members from company houses, blacklisting them from getting jobs and paying the salaries of sheriff's deputies who intimidated miners. Lynch was not immune from the violence associated with those struggles that cemented the nickname ``Bloody Harlan.'' There were shootings in Lynch, including one fight at the bathhouse in which two men died, Goode said. ``They didn't hesitate to resort to violence,'' he said of the union organizers and the coal companies. U.S. Steel and other coal companies exerted authoritarian control over employees and the economic, political and social life in the county, John W. Hevener said in his 1978 account of the labor battles of the 1930s, ``Which Side Are You On?'' When the United Mine Workers of America tried in 1935 to sign up members at U.S. Coal and Coke, the U.S. Steel division that operated Lynch, the company laid in a supply of tear gas and extra ammunition, barred organizers and followed union members and destroyed their literature, Hevener wrote. A state commission later said that a ``virtual reign of terror'' existed in the county, financed by coal operators in collusion with public officials, and that miners had been evicted, beaten and mistreated. Goode said U.S. Steel eventually accepted the UMW at Lynch in the late 1930s, deciding that the cost wouldn't be onerous. Pay and benefits for miners improved under the union, said William Morrow, 94, who lied about his age to go to work for U.S. Steel at 16. ``It made it better,'' Morrow said. By the late 1950s, mechanization had eliminated many miners' jobs and railroads and factories switched to other fuel sources, reducing demand for coal. Coal production hit a 50-year-low in Harlan County in 1960, and the county's population dropped by nearly half between 1950 and 1970 as people left to find work, according to Census figures. U.S. Steel and other companies, including International Harvester at neighboring Benham, decided it was too costly to maintain company-owned towns. They tore down many houses, sold others to residents, turned over schools to county districts and gave offices and other buildings to the towns, keeping only their mining operations. U.S. Steel eventually ended its involvement in Lynch after more than six decades, selling its mines to Arch Coal in 1984. These days, the city is living month to month financially and operates in the red at times, said Mayor John Adams. ``Getting by--that would be optimistic,'' Adams said. Arch stopped mining around town in the late 1980s, cutting a key source of revenue for the city from selling water to the mines. Adams said the city needs more employees but can't afford to hire. When both of its water-plant operators quit in January, the mayor pressed his sons into service to keep the plant going. Untapped potential But residents say Lynch also has assets to develop its tourism economy, including the beauty of the mountains, a fascinating history and its coal-camp houses and buildings. Some of the original buildings in town are still in use, such as the hospital and a building that was a bank and post office, which now holds City Hall. Kitty Dougoud, administrator of the Kentucky Main Street Program at the Kentucky Heritage Council, said she was not aware of a more intact coal town. ``The potential is there,'' Dougoud said. Neighboring Benham is home to the Kentucky Coal Museum in the renovated coal-company commissary and other historic buildings, including the School House Inn, which was a high school for decades beginning in the 1920s but was converted to a hotel. Cumberland, Benham and Lynch have been designated as trail towns. They are working to develop hiking and horse trails, and Lynch has started work on a campground. The city received a grant to renovate the old coal-camp fire station, which now houses Fire House Gifts and Crafts, and a Christian service organization called Meridzo Center Ministries financed the renovation of a building that housed a popular restaurant in the 1920s across from the portal of a mine in the center of town. The Lamp House Coffee shop is in the building now. There has been interest for years in restoring more of the town's old stone buildings, but not enough money to match the interest. The town did receive financing to create a unique attraction at the Portal 31 exhibition mine. Visitors tour a restored section of an underground mine where workers produced more than 100 million tons of coal from 1917 to the early 1960s. Recordings and animatronic displays tell the story of mining and the town over decades, covering technology, safety concerns, union organizing, and the rise and fall of Lynch. `Here to help people' Residents say Meridzo also is a key resource for the town. In addition to renovating the building for the coffee shop, the ministry operates a convenience store, a gym, a veterinary clinic, retreat centers and a stable in Harlan and Letcher counties. Meridzo sees its mission as helping people with practical needs, including jobs, and in the process share the Gospel of Christ, said Lonnie Riley, who founded the ministry with his wife, Belinda, in 1999. ``We're here to help people,'' Riley said. Meridzo is working to recruit a chiropractor, and has started a facility to grow shiitake mushrooms in sections of hardwood logs in the old bathhouse where miners cleaned up before going home. There also is an effort underway to develop a customer- service center to provide jobs locally. Betsy Shirey, who is developing the project, said her idea is a center where employees would field telephone calls and emails for other companies, and could provide other services, such as bookkeeping and marketing. Shirey works for Humana, but after visiting Lynch on mission trips coordinated by Meridzo, she felt a spiritual calling to try to bring jobs to the area. She can do her job from home, so she bought a house in Lynch and moved from Louisville. Shirey said the lack of jobs in the area has helped create an attitude of entrenched hopelessness for many people. ``We've got to build up some infrastructure of meaningful work for people,'' Shirey said. Merger ahead? Some think merging services for Lynch, Benham and Cumberland--or even merging local governments--would put all three on better footing. The three lie end to end over a space of a few miles and have been known as the Tri-Cities for decades, but grew up as distinct places, with their own schools and competing sports teams, and have always maintained separate city services. With all three stretched thin, however, their councils agreed to a merger study proposed by the Tri-City Chamber of Commerce, which said in its application for a grant that with declining populations and tax bases, the three towns ``have struggled mightily in their efforts to maintain basic services to their citizens.'' The study will focus on how the towns could form one government, how services could be combined, potential savings and how layoffs would be handled if needed. W. Bruce Ayers, former president of Southeast Community and Technical College in Cumberland and head of the chamber, said many members believe merger is needed. A merger would reduce costs, increase efficiency and give the unified city a better shot at government grants, Ayers said. ``I really fear for their existence unless they are willing to come together and work as one,'' Ayers said. It will probably be next year before the study is done and the towns have to decide on merging. Even if they do, Lynch won't lose its identity in its second century, said Mary Jo O'Bradovich, who with her husband Mike is involved in the centennial committee. ``After 100 years, I don't think anyone is going to say, `I am from the Tri-Cities,' '' she said. ``Lynch will be Lynch.''

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 500, as the designee of Mr. Frelinghuysen, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao).