Mike Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. It is not. That is what I was hoping to hear.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend from Virginia for yielding. I urge adoption of this amendment. I will remind people that this commission was established for the purpose of renaming our major military installations that had been named after Confederate officers. That mission is complete. There is no reason for us to continue to spend funding on this commission to hunt for things to do. We were told it was going to cost only a million dollars, but they have gone over $30 million. We need to just let them complete their job, which they have done. Stop this funding and adopt this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I urge a favorable vote on my colleague's amendment.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I would ask my friend and colleague from South Carolina, does he believe his amendment is intended to impact uniformed personnel who work in these offices?

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon), an outstanding member of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, this amendment will strike commonsense provisions that have been consistent policies since 2016. Mr. Chair, I urge Members to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. This amendment would strike a provision in the bill that prohibits the Nation's ICBM fleet from falling below its current size of 400. In 2014, the Obama administration decided to reduce the ICBM fleet to 400 missiles to comply with the New START Treaty. Ever since 2016, the Congress has included provisions in the defense authorization bill to effectively prohibit any further reduction. The reason is simple. Nuclear threats are growing. In fact, just this year, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command notified Congress that China now possesses more ICBM launchers than the United States. Now is not the time to be considering cuts to our ICBM fleet, which remains central to our deterrent. I want to quote former Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten, whom many of us know and respect. When asked specifically about reducing the ICBM force, he replied: ``I don't understand how, with the threats that we face today, which are growing, not shrinking, we would make a decision today as a nation to lessen our overall strategic deterrent. That makes no sense to me, and my best military advice is that we do not do that.'' Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the vice chairman of the full committee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), who is the chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), who is the chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson), my friend and colleague.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), my good friend, and the chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), my friend and chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining on each side?

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford), my friend and colleague.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2670, the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. H.R. 2670 represents a truly bipartisan bill. I thank Ranking Member Smith for his tremendous help in moving this bill through committee. Congress has the constitutional duty to provide for our common defense. Every year, we fulfill this duty by passing the National Defense Authorization Act. The fiscal year 2024 NDAA provides our warfighters the resources and authorities they need to provide for the defense of our Nation and the security of our allies around the world. That is critical because the threats we face today are more complex and serious than they have been at any point in the last 30 years. Topping that list is an increasingly aggressive China. Ranking Member Smith and I recently led a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. What was clear from our meetings was that the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party is real and represents the most pressing national security challenge we have faced in decades. The fiscal year 2024 NDAA was built with that underlying goal of deterring the Chinese Communist Party in mind. It provides new authorities and speeds the fielding of innovative new technologies like artificial intelligence and hypersonics that will give us the advantage in a conflict with China. It strengthens our security partnerships with Taiwan and other Pacific allies. It fully funds and expedites the modernization of the nuclear deterrent and builds a stronger and more capable missile defense. It protects the U.S. military bases, critical infrastructure, and academic research from Chinese encroachment and espionage. It builds the logistics networks that the Pacific military needs to carry out the operations against China. It includes new authorities to retool and revitalize the industrial base to ensure they can deliver the systems we need to prevail in any conflict. Reorienting our defense to deter the threat from China will be an expensive endeavor. We knowledge there are limits on what we can afford to spend, that is why this NDAA is hyperfocused on rooting out waste in the DOD. If weapons systems are not responsive to the threats we face, we cut them. In fact, the NDAA includes nearly $40 billion in savings from cutting systems that can't survive a conflict with China and by reining in programs that have grown out of control. We also require the DOD Inspector General to review major defense programs for waste, and we create a new special inspector general to oversee all Ukraine aid. In the face of growing threats from China, it is critical we restore the military's focus on lethality. The fiscal year 2024 NDAA does so by bringing to an end divisive policies implemented by this administration that have hurt recruiting, unit cohesion, and military readiness. While I believe this will go a long way toward resolving the recruiting crisis we face, we also need to improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families. The NDAA does that by providing for the largest pay raise in 30 years and authorizes bonuses for junior enlisted personnel. It increases allowances for housing and basic needs to counteract the growing costs for food and housing. It authorizes $200 million more than the President requested to build new barracks and family housing. The bill expands access and significantly reduces the cost of childcare for military families. It makes it easier for military spouses to find jobs when servicemembers transfer stations. Finally, it improves the quality of military healthcare, especially mental health services for our servicemembers and their families. This bill passed out of committee 58-1. That is the definition of a bipartisan bill. It will enhance congressional oversight of DOD and it will improve the quality of life of our servicemembers. It will help build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force we need to deter the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries. Mr. Chairman, I urge all Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, June 28, 2023. Hon. Mike Rogers, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Rogers: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture. In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Agriculture does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill that fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of this committee to any conference committee that is named to consider such provisions. Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 2670 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely, Glenn ``GT'' Thompson, Chairman.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz), my friend and colleague.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), the chairman of the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have no additional speakers. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Kelly), who is the chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Strong), my friend and colleague and an outstanding member of the Armed Services Committee. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Alabama does not wish to seek recognition. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have no additional speakers, and I urge my colleagues to vote for the en bloc amendments.