Hal Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack), a member of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), who chairs the all-important Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on our committee.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman and I do not agree on many issues, but I think all of us agree that he has been an outstanding Member of the Congress. He has been a workhorse on our committee, and we are going to miss him. Congratulations to you on a great career. Thank you for serving.

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

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as I noted earlier, this may be the last time I speak before the body as chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. Let me first say how much I appreciate the friendship and the camaraderie with the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey). She has been a pleasure to work with. She is perceptive; she is persistent; she is a personal friend; and we enjoy a great friendship. Without a doubt, the last 6 years have had their ups and downs, but I have always been proud to serve the people of Kentucky, the people of this Nation, the Committee on Appropriations, and this great institution that we admire. Let me highlight, Mr. Speaker, just a few of these ups and downs that I mentioned with one of my favorite exercises, a by-the-numbers reflection on our many shared experiences. Here is my by-the-numbers recollection of my last 6 years at the helm of the Committee on Appropriations: 650, the number of hearings held by appropriations subcommittees. 140, the number of appropriations bills considered on the House floor. 19, the number of appropriations bills considered on the floor in just 1 month, October of 2013. 12, the number of appropriations bills we should pass every year. 2,122, the number of floor amendments considered to appropriations bills. 555 and counting, the number of floor hours spent debating appropriations bills. 70, the number of appropriations bills enacted into law. Hopefully this will make it 71. Two trillion, the number of dollars saved in discretionary outlays as a direct result of our appropriations work. Too many to count, the number of cigars smoked in my office. And they were not only me. Number 1, the number of basketball championships won by the University of Kentucky. 70, the number of mighty fine Members who have served on the committee over the last 6 years. Incalculable, the number of hours our staff--the best on the Hill-- have put into their tireless work on behalf of all of us. This includes late nights, weekends, holidays, you name it. When we need them, they are there, and they have done a wonderful job. In particular, Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to thank Will Smith, sitting beside me here. Will worked up the ranks in my personal office, serving as my chief of staff before moving to the committee in 2011, first as deputy staff director and now as staff director. He has been with me for so long and through so much, it is hard to calculate. In any year, he is a first-round draft pick, and I am fortunate to have had him by my side these past 6 years. He has done a wonderful, wonderful job. Thanks also to Mrs. Lowey and our Senate counterparts, Chairman Cochran and Ranking Member Mikulski, for all their partnership throughout the process, and the great work that they have done. Today is a bittersweet day, but I am deeply honored to have served this institution at the head of the committee I love. I hope this institution and the people we serve are better off now because of our work over the last 6 years. I know that under the steadfast leadership of our new chairman, my dear friend, Rodney Frelinghuysen, the progress we have made will only continue to grow. In addition to Will, let me thank the front office staff of the committee: Will Smith, Jim Kulikowski, Dale Oak, Stephen Sepp, Jennifer Hing, Matt Leffingwell, Marta Hernandez, Tammy Hughes, Kaitlyn Eisner- Poor, Victoria Luck, Kelicia Rice, and Brad Allen. Thank you also to the clerks of the subcommittees, the people who really do the hard work: Tom O'Brien, John Martens, Rob Blair, Donna Shahbaz, Winnie Chang, Valerie Baldwin, Dave LesStrang, Susan Ross, Liz Dawson, Maureen Holohan, Craig Higgins, Dena Baron, and all of the staff who work with them in the subcommittees and in the full committee. Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me thank you for the help that you have given me as chairman of the committee over the years, both on the committee and off, the friendships that we have developed, the camaraderie that develops and exists on our committee and throughout the body. It has been a great honor to serve in this role. I look forward to continuing to work in the committee to do the Nation's work. Thank you all for your collaboration, consideration, and your companionship over the last 6 years. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend, George Flynn, who is retiring after nearly 30 years of dedicated public service as Pulaski County Circuit Clerk in Somerset, Kentucky. George has honorably served as Circuit Clerk since winning his first election in 1987. Since then, he has proven to be one of the most beloved and respected leaders in the county with his unmatched work ethic and quick wit. Everyone ``south of the river'' in Pulaski County is related to George, or claims to be, and his support has never wavered. Whether you have known George for five minutes or fifty years, he treats you like family, earning him a loyalty with friends in and out of the political arena. He always has a personal story to share-- and at a moment's notice, he can rattle off the history of Pulaski County, along with the genealogy of nearly every family in town. He has never been one to pass through with a quick hello--but genuinely inquires about the well-being of friends and family. Over the last three decades, George has brought the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk's office up to speed with 21st century technology-- overseeing the digitization of thousands of records and managing growing court dockets on a daily basis. His operation is top-notch. Outside of the clerk's office, his volunteer service has been second to none. From the Lake Cumberland Friends Association, to the Boy Scouts of America, to the Ducks Unlimited Club and the Pulaski County Lincoln Club--his tireless efforts to improve local quality of life expands across the Lake Cumberland region. Everyone is equipped with the same components to make a difference in their community, but it is only those with the courage of conviction and dedication, like George Flynn, who will leave a legacy of community service, such as he has done. My wife, Cynthia, and I wish George and his wife, Resa, many years of joy and good health in their retirement.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Kentucky, the Honorable James Comer, be permitted to take the oath of office today. His certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, the Kentucky delegation and I have the distinct honor and great personal pleasure of introducing you to the newest First District Congressman in the U.S. Congress from Kentucky, Jamie Comer. Jamie, but for the loss in the primary last year in the Governor's race by 93 votes, would be tonight sitting as the Governor of Kentucky. But their loss is our gain. He is bright. He is committed. He will be a great asset for this body, for the country, and for his home State. Jamie started a family farm after college. He served 11 years in the State legislature. He then served statewide as the elected agriculture commissioner, where he quickly got a reputation as the mortal enemy of waste, fraud, and abuse, and was a great success in that role. But his resume only tells you half the story. He has got strong family values. That is obvious because his 9-year-old son, Harlan, and his beautiful daughter are here with him on the floor this evening. In fact, Harlan's namesake, Jamie's grandfather, was a very close friend of mine. In fact, Harlan Comer was with us in this very Chamber when President Reagan delivered his final State of the Union address, and I was proud to call Harlan, Sr., a friend. I am proud to call Jamie a colleague. He will be a great asset to this body. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the Third District of Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 901, I call up the bill (H.R. 5325) making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the further consideration of H.R. 5325, and that I may include tabular material on the same.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present the Senate amendment to H.R. 5325. This legislation includes the fiscal year 2017 continuing resolution and full-year appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. It also includes funding to fight and prevent the spread of the Zika virus and assistance to communities affected by recent, devastating floods. This is a reasonable and necessary compromise that will keep the government open and operating, address urgent needs across the country, and provide the necessary support for our servicemembers, their families, and our veterans. First and foremost, Mr. Speaker, this bill helps us avoid the unwarranted damage of a government shutdown by providing the funds required to keep the government open and operational past our September 30 deadline. The funding is provided at the current rate of $1.067 trillion and lasts through December 9. This short timeframe will allow Congress to complete our annual appropriations work without jeopardizing important government functions. Secondly, the package contains the full-year Military Construction-VA bill for FY17, which was conferenced by the House and Senate and passed by the House already in June. In total, $82.5 billion is provided for our military infrastructure and veterans' health and benefits programs, $2.7 billion above current levels, with targeted increases to address mismanagement and improve operations at the VA. It is important to note that, once the President signs this bill into law, it will be the first time since 2009 that an individual appropriations bill has been conferenced with the Senate and enacted before the September 30 fiscal year deadline. Third, this legislation includes $1.1 billion in funding to respond to and stop the spread of the Zika virus. This funding is directed to programs that control mosquitoes, develop vaccines, and treat those affected. This funding is spent responsibly, balanced by $400 million in offsets of unused funding from other programs. Lastly, this legislation includes important provisions that address current national needs, including an additional $37 million to fight the opioid epidemic, which has struck my district especially hard, and an additional $500 million in disaster-designated funding to help States recover and rebuild from recent destructive flooding. I believe this legislation is a good compromise that this House can and should support. It is not perfect, but it ensures we meet our Nation's current critical needs. I have said many times before, standing in this exact spot, that a continuing resolution is a last resort. But at this point, it is what we must do to fulfill our congressional responsibility to keep the lights on in our government. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on this necessary legislation so we can send it to the President's desk without delay. Mr. Speaker, I reserve 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 such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I salute the gentleman from Louisiana, who has been tirelessly working to help the people in his district and the State of Louisiana for the terrible disaster that has stricken that State. I thank you for your efforts to share information about this with me and the committee regarding the devastating impacts of the flood. Many of the Members of Congress from across the country that you led to the flooded areas have also reached out to us advocating for assistance to Louisiana. It is my intention to work with the White House, my colleagues in the Senate, as well as our respective leadership teams over the coming weeks to head off the personal and fiscal calamity so many are facing in south Louisiana. Sir, you have my commitment to work towards that end.

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

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, this small legislative clarification will go a long way to promote tourism and economic opportunity on Corps lakes. Beautiful Lake Cumberland, in my Congressional District, is the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi. Located within a day's drive of 87 million Americans and with over 1,200 miles of pristine coastline, it is the ideal location for families to enjoy a week or a weekend on a houseboat. Indeed, Lake Cumberland was once the houseboat capital of America, but that all abruptly changed when a major Corps rehabilitation project on the dam coincided with a downturn of the U.S. economy in 2007. The Corps had to lower the lake by some 43 feet to repair damage to Wolf Creek Dam, and the houseboat business was all but decimated. It took 7 years to complete this project and restore lake levels, but I am proud to say, Mr. Chairman, that Lake Cumberland is now open for business. Unfortunately, the Corps has not been as eager as others to bring back the vibrant houseboat industry that once flourished in this region, or to support the emerging floating cabin industry that promises to make lake life accessible to more and more vacationers and families. With Chairman Shuster's support, we added bipartisan language to the last WRDA bill to ensure that floating cabins, once garnering safety approval by the U.S. Coast Guard, would be permitted on Corps lakes. However, the Corps has since found new and creative ways to continue banning floating cabins from their lakes, particularly through the promulgation of overly burdensome guidance with requirements far more stringent than those health and safety standards expected by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has successfully safeguarded our maritime system since its creation in 1790, and it is, therefore, the Coast Guard that should be the lead Federal agency in regulating the vessels that navigate our Federal waterways. Today's amendment simply reinforces congressional intent to ensure that there is one standard for these floating cabins, and that standard would be set by the U.S. Coast Guard. Safety should always remain our highest priority, and I am confident these cabins will create exciting new opportunities at Lake Cumberland and other Corps lakes. I urge support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.