Hal Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I withdraw my reservation on the point of order, and I rise in opposition to the motion.

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

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding this time. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of this, the DOD appropriations bill. This bill provides more than $512 billion in base funding for our national security and military efforts, and $85.8 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations war funding. This is a base funding decrease of $5.1 billion below fiscal 2013, but is about $28.1 billion above the current level caused by automatic sequestration spending cuts. This total reflects an appropriate, thorough analysis of what is needed to keep this country safe. Freedom isn't free. Our liberties, our rights, our property are preserved by our national defense, but at a cost. Sufficient funding for the Pentagon and our military is of the utmost importance to the continued prosperity of the United States of America. It is, and should be, our top priority. We have already seen the distressing toll that the heavy-handed, indiscriminate cuts of sequestration have taken on our military--from grounded planes, to reduced training time, to postponed maintenance-- all of which contribute to the loss of readiness of our troops. As we saw all this month as Department of Defense civilian furloughs began, our economy is also taking a significant hit. The funding level in this bill strikes a balance between fiscal responsibility and sufficient support for our military. Within this total, we prioritize funding to advance our missions abroad, to prepare and equip our troops, and to ensure the readiness and effectiveness of our military. This includes adequate funding to purchase the equipment, weapons, and vehicles needed to keep our military protected, at the ready, and able to conduct successful operations. The bill also provides funding for ongoing operations and maintenance of military facilities, equipment, and bases--fundamental to the successful missions of our Armed Forces. Essential funding is proposed to develop new defense technologies, to advance the success of current military operations, and to plan for whatever new threats may arise in the future. A well-equipped military is not as effective without strong and well- prepared troops. This funding supports readiness programs that prepare our troops for both combat and peacetime missions, giving them flight time and battle training. In addition, the bill funds the authorized 1.8 percent pay raise for the military--above the 1 percent the President requested. To keep our troops healthy before and after battle, the Defense Health Program receives an increase above last year's level, funding medical facility upgrades, traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, and suicide prevention outreach. The bill also addresses what has been a black mark on our military, Madam Chairman--the problem with sexual assault. The legislation fully funds Sexual Assault Prevention and Response programs and adds $25 million in funding for sexual assault victim assistance to preserve trust in our military and ensure that members of our Armed Forces are not sacrificing more than they already have to serve this Nation. But a balanced budget--one that does not put us into massive debt to other governments or threaten our economic stability--is also paramount to our national security. Even these critical national security programs cannot spend precious tax dollars unchecked. The bill has implemented commonsense reductions wherever possible, including rescinding unused, prior-year funding, nixing a proposed civilian pay raise, and saving $1 billion in anticipated excess funding. We have also prohibited funding to modify facilities in the U.S. to house Guantanamo detainees or to allow their transfer into the U.S. or its territories. When all is said and done, this bill cuts more than $5 billion below last year's enacted level; but I must emphasize that these reductions will in no way harm or negatively affect our national defense or the troops that fight to protect this great country. Madam Chairman, some will complain that the bill breaks the cap placed on Defense spending under the sequester level for fiscal year 2014 put into place by the Budget Control Act. To this I say, of course it does.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. The massive, irresponsible, dangerous reductions to Defense spending under the sequestration cap is completely beyond the pale. For example, if nothing is done to cancel the next round of sequestration cuts that are scheduled to take effect when this Congress adjourns, this bill would be cut to a total of $468 billion. Before I close, Madam Chairman, I would like to take this time to thank the venerable chairman of the subcommittee, Bill Young. He is a national asset. He has shown again the skill that he has in putting together a great bill. To Mr. Visclosky, thank you for being a great partner to our chairman throughout this process. To the staff and the entire subcommittee members, without your hard work we would not have this bill on the floor. I salute you and endorse this bill wholeheartedly.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Chairwoman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Chairwoman, I rise only to say thank you to the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Frelinghuysen, who has been in this seat now for 38 days it seems like, but the entire time of this bill. He has not taken a break for any reason during the entire consideration of these dozens of amendments and general debate. I want to thank the chairman for doing a great job during this debate, but also in drafting the bill, along with his colleague, Marcy Kaptur, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee. So, Mr. Chairman, we thank you for a job well done and thank you for persevering through all of this. Also, I want to say a word of thanks to the staff, who deserve so much credit for the work that has been before the body for the last 2 days. Rob Blair, the clerk of the subcommittee, and all of the staff on both sides of the aisle have worked long and hard to bring this bill to the floor and to transpose it to the population of the House. So we thank you for a great job well done. As we near the end of the deliberation on the amendments and finally vote on the bill, I want to urge everyone to vote for this bill. This is a good bill. It cuts spending, it does the Nation's business, and it's fair and transparent. I urge adoption of the bill and yield back the balance of my time. Announcement by the Acting Chair

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, American coal families are under attack, not from a foreign power or a natural disaster, but by an administration that has resolutely, perversely, and now overtly proposed to end coal mining and coal-fired power generation in these United States. President Obama's calamitous climate change plan announced yesterday is the latest job-killing bomb to be dropped on Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, and dozens of coal States already knocked down after 4 years of administration policies. This administration has used code words like ``streamlining'' and ``permit reviews'' to shell our communities with regulations and red tape that even the most sophisticated businesses can't adhere to. Now the White House is dismantling our strategic energy advantage and unilaterally disarming our economy in broad daylight. I quote White House climate adviser Daniel Schrag straight out of the White House: ``A war on coal is exactly what's needed.'' Mr. Speaker, a war on coal is exactly what is not needed. A war on coal is a war on middle class Americans. It's a war on jobs, all kinds of jobs. It's already claimed 5,700 direct Kentucky jobs in just a year and a half, the vast majority of those in my economically challenged district. There is no recovery in Inez or high-tech boom in Harlan, Mr. President. My families are struggling to get back to work, pay their bills, or find salaries comparable to coal mining. And my communities are losing their main employers. This climate plan makes the situation worse, dimming the prospects of reopening the mines even further. Moreover, this disastrous climate change plan is a plan for America's economic and security decline. This plan would only lead to higher electric bills and increased dependence on foreign enemy sources. And to think someone has the audacity to say, ``We need a war on coal.'' Well, what we need is a war on that line of thinking. This administration's stringent rules and absurd mandates are simply meant to force coal-fired power plants to stop burning coal or shutter the facilities altogether. I call it strangulation by regulation. Mr. Speaker, more than 200 coal plants have already closed across 25 States, and now seven new EPA regulations are on track to do even more damage. I'm losing one of the biggest employers in Lawrence County to this onslaught--1,200 good-paying jobs. In total, the closure of mines, shuttering of power plants, and resulting hikes in electric rates are expected to cost the U.S. economy some 887,000 jobs per year. Please tell me how this is in our national interest, how this is leading America forward. In 2008, the President promised to bankrupt the coalfields. And yesterday, he took a giant step toward that reckless, shameful goal.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 251 on the passage of the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, I am not recorded because I was absent due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a World War II Veteran and tremendous leader in rural healthcare, the late Dr. John M. Smith. Dr. Smith was quite a pioneer in his time. He was one of the first graduates from Caney Creek College, now know as Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. After graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1942, he enlisted in the United States Navy and valiantly served as a first lieutenant aboard the U.S.S. Weeden, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific campaigns. Smith was later selected as one of the first recipients of the Rural Kentucky Medical Scholarship Fund and graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1949. After completing medical school, Dr. Smith decided to extend his service to our country by volunteering as a medical officer during the Korean War at the Louisville, Kentucky recruitment station. In 1951, Dr. Smith began his mission to provide healthcare to the people of southeastern Kentucky, in a rural region plagued by high rates of health disparities and limited access to healthcare. He opened his first medical practice in Beattyville, Kentucky where he faithfully treated patients for eleven years. However, his passion for additional education in the medical field also led him to practice radiology at Morehead Hospital, Woodford County Hospital, and the Lexington Clinic for a little more than a decade. In 1974, he returned to Beattyville as a general practitioner where he dedicated nearly 40 years of quality healthcare for the people of Lee and surrounding counties until the age of 90. He was involved in numerous civic activities, serving as a member of the Masonic Proctor Lodge 213, the Lee County Shrine Club, VFW Post 11296, and the Kentucky Medical Association. He served as the Medical Director of the Lee County Constant Care and Geri Young House, and a member of the Lee County Board of Health. Dr. Smith leaves behind a devoted family: his loving wife, Patty of 54 years; seven children, 17 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. His son, William, has been one of my most trusted advisers, working on my team since 1995, and now serving as my Chief Clerk of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Will's extensive policy knowledge and legislative wisdom has been vital for our nation's economy and for projects supporting the good people of southern and eastern Kentucky. On behalf of my wife Cynthia and myself, I want to extend our deepest heartfelt sympathies to the entire Smith family. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring a tireless leader in rural healthcare and a true patriot, the late Dr. John M. Smith.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a long-time friend and tremendous leader in Kentucky, Dr. Bruce Ayers upon his retirement as President of the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. Dr. Bruce Ayers is arguably one of the most brilliant educators and dedicated businessmen in Kentucky. He understands the value of forging new partnerships, expanding educational opportunities, and mentoring young leaders. He is also an avid ambassador for our beautiful region, promoting our rich culture and heritage with every opportunity. Dr. Ayers enjoys explaining how he ``grew up'' at Southeast, spending nearly a half-century at the institution. After bravely serving in the U.S. Marine Corps with a deployment at Guantanamo Bay, Bruce became a student at what used to be the Southeast Center of the University of Kentucky in Cumberland. He quickly displayed leadership qualities by helping to establish the college's award-winning newspaper, The Southeasterner, before moving on to the University of Kentucky in Lexington. After earning his Master's degree, Bruce immediately returned to Southeast as a faculty member and worked diligently to become the 8th President of SKCTC in 1987. With Dr. Ayers at the helm of his alma mater, Southeast has grown from a small campus with 1,100 students to well over 5,000 students spanning five cities with individual campuses. With his vision and compassion to help others succeed, the college established a Nursing School, the Kentucky Coal Academy, the Pine Mountain Development Corporation, and multiple outreach programs for younger students, beginning in elementary school. Most recently, he has worked tirelessly to help laid-off coal miners get the education they need to pursue alternative careers in the midst of economic struggles in our Appalachian coalfields. Dr. Ayers' exemplary leadership has earned national recognition. He is the founding chair of the Rural Community College Alliance; he served as an adjunct member on the graduate faculty of the Department of Instructional Systems, Leadership, and Workforce Development at Mississippi State University; and served as a local advisor for students pursuing a PhD in Community College Leadership through MSU. Additionally, under his leadership, the Aspen Institute selected SKCTC as one of the top ten community colleges in the nation earlier this year. While his excellence in education has largely defined his career, Dr. Ayers' footprint extends far beyond the Southeast campuses, through his tireless community service efforts in the tri-city area of Harlan County and our entire region. Dr. Ayers has been a huge advocate for non-profit, grassroots programs like our region's tourism initiative, TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky; the environmental cleanup campaign, Eastern Kentucky PRIDE; and the holistic anti-drug program, Operation UNITE. I believe he spends each day trying to find a way to give more back to the region he calls home. He is truly a difference maker. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring my friend and a true inspiration, Dr. Bruce Ayers on his retirement. I wish Bruce and his wife, Barbara all the best in the years to come.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the chairman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill. First, I'd like to thank our colleagues for their careful consideration yesterday of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, which, as you know, passed overwhelmingly in the House. There were only four Members who voted against that bill, and I'd like to ask all of the supporters of that bill to continue on this bill today. It's a very conscientious piece of legislation that I believe can and should pass this body on a bipartisan basis. The bill before you, as the chairman and the ranking member have said, provides $38.9 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. In such austere budget times, this bill rightly prioritizes spending on programs that save American lives. Frontline protection, terrorism prevention and response, disaster recovery, and a strong and secure border, all of these are paramount to the safety and security of our homeland. Mr. Chairman, we are constantly reminded that we can't let our frontline security efforts lapse. The terrible attack at the Boston Marathon underscored the need to support key readiness programs, provide heroic first responders with the funding and equipment they deserve, and improve intelligence and threat-targeting activities so we can help avoid terrible attacks like Boston in the future. With this bill, we are tightening security at our borders with funding increases for Customs and Border Protection and ICE that preserve the highest totals of Border Patrol agents and CBP officers and the highest detention bed capacity in history. We've targeted funding to combat human trafficking, child exploitation, cyber crime, and drug smuggling. And we're protecting our shores and access points with adequate funding for the Coast Guard and TSA. This bill also fully supports the known requirements from the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, which provides assistance to localities overwhelmed by catastrophic natural disasters like the recent tornadoes in the Midwest. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims of those disasters that have ravaged our Nation, like Oklahoma. To that end, this bill provides an additional $6.2 billion for that Disaster Relief Fund. That's for fiscal 2014. Right now, though, as the chairman has said, combined with the approximately $11 billion kitty that FEMA has on hand, there is sufficient funding for the immediate response needs in Oklahoma and other affected areas. Our committee stands at the ready to reassess any further needs as a fuller picture of the damage becomes clear. It's our duty as Members of Congress to provide this critical assistance to communities that are suffering from such unexpected and devastating natural disasters. Mr. Chairman, strong national security comes at a price. And as we all know, tax dollars for these programs are in limited supply these days, so we can't let any of the funding that we appropriate to the Department of Homeland Security go to unproven or wasteful programs. Across the Department, we've made careful reductions that bring total funding in this bill to $617 million less than the fiscal year 2013 enacted level. We've enforced strict reporting requirements and other oversight tools to guarantee that DHS is spending its dollars wisely, and we've prevented funding from being used on risky or controversial efforts like transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay or another Fast and Furious-type program. Before I conclude, let me extend my appreciation to Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Price, former chairman of the subcommittee, for their hard work in crafting this bill. As has been said by both sides, this is a nonpartisan bill. It always has been that way. We've attempted to work from the very beginning of this subcommittee's existence to work across the aisle, to be sure that the homeland is adequately protected. That takes cooperation across the middle aisle, and it's happened over the years, and it's happened this year. And I want to thank these two gentlemen, especially, for working together, as they have. This is John Carter's first bill as a cardinal. He's making his maiden voyage, and I think the ship is sailing through. He says he hopes so. And we want to thank, of course, the staff of the subcommittee for their tireless hours dedicated towards crafting this bill of great importance to our national security. So I'm proud to say, Mr. Chairman, that I stand before you in 100 percent support of this bill. It represents all that makes our country great and the security that will keep our country great. And I urge our colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Chairman, I thank the chairman for the generous introduction. I rise in support of this, the first of 12 appropriations bills that I hope to bring to the floor under regular order. Although we received the President's budget nearly 2 months beyond the deadline, I have every intention of drafting and considering all 12 appropriations measures in a timely fashion and in the traditional open process that allows all Members to have their say in how taxpayer dollars should be spent. As we kick off the appropriations season on the floor today, we face some of the most challenging circumstances in recent memory--a tardy Presidential budget, a divided Congress, the ham-handed cuts of sequestration, and historically low funding levels. Given our tight budget, my committee has and will continue to prioritize funding in areas of the highest national need--our security and enforcement of law. However, virtually all areas of the government will face cuts this year, including critical national security programs. Clearly, this is an austere budget year, to put it mildly. Our top line number is severely low and billions apart from the Senate's number. It is my sincere hope that there will soon be a budget compromise that will undo the harmful sequestration law and give us a single common top line allocation that we can work with the Senate to pass all of the funding of the government. In spite of all this, I want to reiterate my commitment to regular order. This is not a pie-in-the-sky endeavor. It's what our Founding Fathers wanted and directed in the Constitution. Under regular order, each of my esteemed colleagues in this body will have their chance to put their stamp on this bill, to have their voices heard and represented on these must-pass bills. We have a lot of work to do in a very limited amount of time, so I suggest we get down to it. Today, we are considering the Military Construction and VA bill, a truly bipartisan effort that this entire body can and should support. This bill funds critical Department of Defense infrastructure that gives our men and women in uniform the quality of life they deserve, including hospitals, schools, and family housing. This bill also includes $63.1 billion to provide our veterans with the benefits and care they've earned for their service. Notably, we support medical treatment for 6.5 million veterans, including funding for traumatic brain injury treatment, suicide prevention, and important mental health care programs. This bill also addresses two of the VA's biggest problems, Madam Chairman--the disgraceful disability claims backlog and the lack of a seamless coordinated Department of Defense-Veterans electronic health record system. The bill includes funding that will jump-start efforts to clean up the backlog and force DOD and VA to get moving on a system that should have been in place years ago. But this is not the easiest of budget times. While most of the funding in this bill is not subject to sequestration, we could not in good conscience let a single dollar in this bill go to waste. Every nickel and dime appropriated was carefully assessed to ensure these funds are used properly, efficiently and responsibly. We took the difficult but responsible step to reduce military construction funding to offset the increases in VA spending, but we made these reductions without affecting military readiness or effectiveness. To make sure that our careful work in this bill does not go to waste, we've implemented strict oversight protocols, and we have included certain benchmarks to help guarantee that disability claims are not piling up again and that we aren't throwing away precious taxpayer dollars as we try to get this DOD-VA electronic health records system up and running. Before concluding, Madam Chairman, I would like to spend a half- minute here thanking the chairman of the MilCon Subcommittee on our committee, John Culberson, for his time and attention to this bill and for his dedication and perseverance, as well as to thank the work of the ranking member, Mr. Bishop. These two gentlemen of the House, dedicated appropriators, have spent untold hours working with each other to try to come to agreement on the items in this bill. It has worked, and it is a good example, perhaps the best I can think of, in which we see that bipartisanship in support of our military and our veterans takes place. So I want to congratulate Mr. Culberson and Mr. Bishop for a job well done, and we thank you for your bipartisanship. Madam Chairman, I think this bill is one that Members on both sides of the aisle can wholeheartedly support to keep our military in fighting form and to give our veterans the benefits that they have so sincerely earned, many of them in the loss of limb, some in the loss of life. So I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding career of an individual whose meritorious civil service to our country has come to a close after 38 years. My staff and I came to know Karen L. Dellarocco through her work as Legislative Specialist at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), but her storied career with the federal government began back in 1975 when Karen joined the Department of Defense as a clerk typist. Karen's talent and professionalism became apparent immediately as she quickly rose through the ranks to become a Department of the Army Protocol Officer. In 1990, she began work with BOP at Federal Correctional Institution Petersburg, Virginia and seven years later, transitioned to the BOP's Office of Legislative Affairs where she served until her retirement last month in May 2013. My staff tells me that Karen's customer service to the Congress is simply unparalleled, and that she has always approached her work with enthusiasm, professionalism, fairness and attention to detail. With her retirement, Karen will be deeply missed by my office and every Capitol Hill office which she has faithfully served. Unquestionably, Congress has lost a kind-hearted and talented Legislative Affairs counterpart who will be appreciated for her humor, hard work and ever-present willingness to lend a helping hand. Karen is an avid antiquer, gardener and traveler--and a friend to many. We wish you all the best in your retirement. Congratulations.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Big Sandy Community and Technical College as this progressive institute for post- secondary education celebrates a unique combination of anniversaries in 2013. Seventy-five years ago, the Mayo Technical College was established in 1938. Fifty years ago, the Prestonsburg Community College was established in 1964. Finally, ten years ago, the two institutions merged in 2003, creating the Big Sandy Community and Technical College. I count it an honor to congratulate the founders of these institutions on this rare triple celebration of the combined 75th, 50th and 10th anniversaries. The Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a tremendous resource in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky, providing excellence in post-secondary education for students in Floyd, Johnson, Pike, Martin, and Magoffin Counties to pursue the dream of earning a college degree close to home, with four campus locations. The Big Sandy Community and Technical College continues to carry on the mission of the institutions that laid its foundation by enriching the lives of thousands of students each year, dedicated to helping raise a generation from its heavy burden of poverty, and preparing them for successful careers and a better future for our rural region. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Big Sandy Community and Technical College and the tireless efforts of educators and leaders of the past that pioneered the path for quality post-secondary education in the mountains of eastern Kentucky over the last seventy-five years.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Paul ``Bo'' Bollinger, President of the Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO). As the GWAO celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and Mr. Bollinger begins the process of succession to new tournament leadership, it is the proper time to recognize his quarter century of outstanding leadership. In 1989, Mr. Bollinger conceived and began an aviation charity event to raise and donate funds to worthy causes. Mr. Bollinger convinced several aviation executives and several aviation associations to hold an annual charity golf and auction event for this purpose. Twenty five years later, the GWAO has become the largest aviation charity event in Washington, DC, raising almost $1.7 million for deserving organizations. Under Mr. Bollinger's leadership, the charities receiving tournament proceeds varied over the first four years, subsequently settling on the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) as its major benefactor. The CAN mission of flying cancer patients on empty seats of business aircraft to treatment facilities was a perfect match with the GWAO mission. In 2006, Mr. Bollinger led the effort to include funding a four-year scholarship for a deserving T.C. Williams High School graduate entering a college in an aviation degree program; and in 2011 the Veteran's Airlift Command was added as an additional benefactor. Mr. Speaker, as a fellow Kentuckian I am honored and proud to commend Mr. Bollinger for a quarter century of heroic, selfless and successful service to thousands of deserving people. In their names I wish to publicly thank you, Bo, on behalf of all the people whose lives you have enhanced.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated employee of the U.S. House of Representatives and a staunch Kentucky Republican, Mr. Dennis Patrick Wooton, upon his retirement from my Hazard district office following six years of service as my trusted Field Representative. Pat has been my right hand on many issues impacting constituents in the eastern half of Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District, covering 18 counties. Anytime a natural disaster occurs in our region, such as flash flooding, tornadoes and damaging mudslides, Pat immediately reaches out to local officials to offer a helping hand and evaluate the potential need for federal assistance. He has been a loyal, reliable resource in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, always offering a friendly smile, his contagious humorous attitude, and word of encouragement. Before serving as Congressional staff, Pat bravely served our U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. He was awarded several medals for his valiant efforts, including the honorable Bronze Star. He is a life-time member of V.F.W. Post 7378 and D.A.V. Chapter 64. Upon returning home, Pat was a teacher, baseball coach, and basketball coach at Buckhorn High School in Perry County, Kentucky, where he also became one of the most beloved principals in the history of the institution. In 2007, he was elected to the Kentucky High School Baseball Coach Hall of Fame. Through his dedicated efforts in the county, Pat gained the respect of the people of Perry County, who elected him Sheriff 2003-2006. Pat has also been a dedicated advocate for conservative Republican principals and currently serves as Chairman of the Perry County Republican Party. Pat has a true heart of service, which is displayed by his volunteer efforts across the Kentucky River region. His long list of service includes training the Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Department, serving on the Governor's Smart Growth Task Force, the ARH Family Health Service and Community Advisory Boards, Buckhorn City Council, the Hazard Community and Technical College Board of Directors, and many more. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Pat Wooton on his retirement, and in appreciation of his brave military service to this nation. My wife, Cynthia, and I wish Pat and his wife, Veda, the very best in the years to come.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, today marks a critical turning point in our country's battle against prescription drug abuse--what CDC has called a national epidemic. It takes more American lives than car crashes. Unless the Food and Drug Administration takes action today, generic drug-makers will be free to dump cheap painkillers, lacking abuse deterrence, back into U.S. markets--pills that can be easily crushed and which are to be blamed for tens of thousands of emergency room visits and accidental overdose deaths in the last decade. Two weeks ago, at the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit, FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg acknowledged the many ``individuals and their families whose lives have been shattered by prescription opioid abuse, misuse, and addiction.'' She also affirmed that FDA has the authority to keep these crushable pills off the market when abuse-deterrent technologies are available. It is time to execute that authority, FDA. On behalf of the thousands of families in my region and all over this country, keep crushable pills off our streets and out of our children's hands.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, prescription drug abuse is killing more people in this country than car wrecks. It's hard to believe, but it sneaked up on us. In my district 10 years ago, we started an organization called UNITE, Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education, a holistic approach, and it works. We've put in jail about 4,000 pushers. We've got drug counselors in schools. We've got clubs in schools to entertain young people on nice things to do and the like, drug courts in every county. It works, but the problem persists. Last week, I had the great honor and pleasure of helping host in Orlando, Florida, a drug summit on prescription drug abuse, almost a thousand people from 49 States and several foreign countries focusing on the problem. It's the second year we've done that, the second straight year. Mayor Bloomberg was there. The head of CDC was there, the head of FDA, heads of all sorts of Federal organizations, and we're determined to help wipe out this big killer in this country.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

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 H.R. 933, and that I may include tabular material on the same.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We present now the bill to fund the Federal Government for the remainder of the fiscal year. This legislation provides funding for essential Federal programs and services, helps maintain our national security, and takes a potential government shutdown off the table. The House passed a very similar version of this bill just 2 weeks ago, and yesterday the Senate passed their version of this legislation. Now it's back before the House today for our final stamp of approval. I'm sure I don't need to remind the Members of the deadline that we face here. The existing continuing resolution expires next Wednesday, so it's vital that we get this bill to the President for his signature straightaway. The total funding provided in the bill remains at $984 billion, the level required by the President's sequestration order. To summarize the contents of this bill briefly, Mr. Speaker, it contains full funding for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, exactly what the House approved the other week. Without the additional flexibility provided in this bill, the Pentagon could face severe funding constraints, even beyond sequestration, potentially jeopardizing our national security. In addition to addressing our military equipment and readiness needs, it also provides for the quality of life and health of our troops and veterans. We've added an additional $2.5 billion for the VA to ensure our Nation's warfighters receive the benefits they have earned for their service. The Senate added to the bill we passed three additional full-year appropriations bills to H.R. 933, the ones for Homeland Security, Commerce, Justice and Science, and Agriculture. Now, Mr. Speaker, these were the bills that passed the House, by large margins, with bipartisan backing, and are now, by the Senate, reinserted into the CR for the balance of the year. And it pleases this Member and this chairman that those bills were picked up and certified into the CR that we're passing today. This funding will support critical law enforcement agencies, protect our Nation's borders and food supplies, and provide important agriculture and rural development investments. We've ensured that critical government services, like food and nutrition assistance programs, remain available to those who need them most. These updated spending and funding levels will help keep our economy on the path toward recovery, supporting U.S. trade, manufacturing, and job creation. In the other departments and agencies covered by the bill, both the House and Senate made limited, technical changes where absolutely necessary to prevent extensive waste of taxpayer dollars and to avoid any serious and irreversible damage to government programs, and to provide strict oversight of this spending. The Senate added a number of additional what we call anomalies or exceptions beyond what was included in the initial House draft. I don't think all of the Senate additions are absolutely necessary, but there's no reason to oppose them, not strong enough in this to oppose this legislation. However, the Senate did not add some important matters, and I want to reiterate briefly what they are. The Senate did not add additional funds for ObamaCare. The Senate did not add additional funding for the flawed Dodd-Frank law. The Senate did not remove important Second Amendment protections, and they did not dismantle important oversight and funding conditions that help ensure the wise and appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. Mr. Speaker, all said, this bill is the product of thoughtful, bipartisan conciliation and hard work. We stayed in close touch with Senators Mikulski and Shelby as they managed the bill in the Senate. As a result, the Senate added no poison pills to the bill that passed the House last week. Even if a continuing resolution is not the most preferable way to fund the government, I believe this bill is the best we can do under these tricky circumstances, and I want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and on the other side of the Capitol for working closely with us and the committee over the past few weeks. We still face a long haul for the rest of the year. It may seem far down the line, but the beginning of fiscal 2014 is only 6 months away, not to mention the other fiscal challenges that we face. Passing this continuing resolution today lays the groundwork for a path forward. It takes a looming fiscal deadline off the table to allow us to finish the rest of our work and ensures our government keeps its doors open through all of that. Now, Mr. Speaker, all the Members of this body know that the real work of the body is done by staff. In the case of the Appropriations Committee, I can say that 10,000 times. The staff that worked this bill and worked on the committee business, both on the majority and minority side, put in long hours on weekends and all-night sessions and the like. They are the people who don't get enough praise. This bill, of course, is no different. The staff has worked across the aisle and across the Capitol to make this bill what it is today. And I want to especially thank the chief clerk. The head of the staff, Bill Inglee, who sits beside me here, has run the committee staff since we've had the chance to chair the committee. I can't say enough good work about him and all of the staff, both sides of the aisle, who have labored so hard with a great heart to make these bills possible. So I want to thank Bill Inglee, especially, for the great work that he has given to the Nation through his work in clerking for the Appropriations Committee. I ask my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to do the right thing by the American people and support this legislation and take a shutdown of the government off the table. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Speaker may postpone further proceedings on the motion to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 933 as though under clause 8(a)(1)(A) of rule XX.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of March 20, 2013, I call up the bill (H.R. 933) making appropriations for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other departments and agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendments thereto, and I have a motion at the desk.

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